God Eater 2: Hiraeth
by Bain904
Summary: Brynn Amaryllis Mercu, a God Eater who is welcomed into Blood after being in a coma for 3 years. A disasterous event causes her to lose her memory. As a member of Blood, she manages to become close to her other teammates, particularly, Blood's captain; Julius Visconti. Will she ever remember who she really was? Or will it be better for her to not remember anything at all?
1. Prologue

_A bright light had consumed all of those in the vicinity. Loud screams could be heard in the midst of chaos that the situation was causing them. Their cri de coeur was further drawing in the nearby monsters that were surrounding them. The luminosity was intensifying as each minute, each second passed them by._

" _Leader!" A female's voice rang through._

" _Stay with us!" Another added, his voice drowning in the clamor._

" _Don't do it!" A rough voice angrily said, the frustration dripping with each word._

 _The light intensified even more, in its center was a bright orb of light._

A pair of caramel colored eyes fluttered open, it was met with the blank white ceiling of an unfamiliar and tidy room. The person, a pale yellow-haired girl grunted, the moment that her attempt to sit up had been deterred because of the incredible strain that made itself known to her. She muttered a curse, her throat was dry and her voice was hoarse.

"Do not strain yourself, child." A new voice pierced through the silence. From the corner of her eye, she made out the figure of a blonde haired woman sitting on what appeared to be a wheelchair. Her bright blue eyes held concern and worry, the scar by the corner of her eyes added an intimidating aura to the woman.

The fact that she was dressed in traditional clothes for mourning had added more to that intimidation. The girl paled at the thought of it.

"Am I dead?" The platinum haired girl found her voice, she cringed at who weak and fragile it sounded. She was confident that her original voice wasn't like that. The other blonde gave her an amused look.

"You are very much alive." She giggled, "I did check your stats earlier after all." Now she was even more creeped out.

She looked around the room once again, "Where am I?" She was successfully propped up on one shoulder, her body managed to adjust to the strain that was consuming her. She did a double take on her arm where her red armlet was supposed to be placed. It was now black.

Her head began to spin as tried to recall what exactly had happened, but she could only resurface three things.

Her name. That she was a God Eater. Her armlet was red.

"Well, aren't you a stubborn one." The woman nodded slightly as she continued to look at the bedridden girl. This earned her a quizzical look. "You are in Friar's infirmary." She waited for her to continue explaining.

"You have been asleep for 3 years, Brynn Amaryllis Mercu." Her eyes widened in disbelief, before she could question more, the door slid open to reveal a red haired woman wearing a lab coat.

"Rachel, we have a meeting with-" The redhead halted mid sentence upon seeing the figure who was sitting on the bed. Her eyes held incredulity. She was snapped from her reverie when a hand had been placed over hers. She turned to see the blonde that was previously sitting beside the bed.

"Don't ask her too many questions, sister. Give her time to get used to everything. Didn't you say that we had a meeting to head to?" She softly reminded before turning back to the figure on the bed. "I will have someone pick you up and show you around. I'd like to see if you are still capable of wielding your God Arc. It has been inactive for three years now after all." Brynn remained silent and merely nodded in response. Her head was still in a daze as everything had been happening so suddenly. The two women left the room. The silence arresting her ones again.

Her caramel eyes scanned the room for the nth time, taking in the white beds, green curtains and medical equipment that she wasn't so familiar with. She couldn't help but sigh.

"3 years?" She repeated to herself as she stretched out her right arm and examined her new armlet, gazing at it and waited for answers. She looked over to the side of her bed and noticed the neatly folded clothes. She stood up, managing to balance herself as she took the clothes into her arms, the fabric brushing against her skin. She noticed a door and assumed that it was a bathroom. She dragged herself over to the door and opened to reveal a pristine white bathroom.

If she had been pale before, she grew even paler the moment that her eyes registered the reflection of herself in front of her. She looked like a walking-skeleton, someone unfit to be a God Eater. Her face had hollowed out to further reveal her cheekbones, her collar bones stuck out without much effort. She changed into the uniform, a black uniform that stuck to her skin, and the bottom had not managed to cover every part of her leg. She cursed at whoever designed the flimsy piece of clothing. She brushed a hand through her unruly hair and splashed water on her face. She made her way out of the bathroom, and she had been met with a newcomer.

The young man had blonde hair that was similar to the woman from earlier. Hers was pale and platinum, she found it dull and literally paling in comparison when she was put beside the male. He was wearing baggy pants, a fitted shirt, with a short vest over it. He was also wearing a beanie.

"So you really are finally awake!" He exclaimed as he shot up from the bed that he was seated on. "The name's Romeo." He gave a warm and friendly smile. "Doc Rachel assigned me to show you around, you look like you need to walk around a bit." He gave a cheerful grin, his hands moving around rapidly which made the girl a bit dizzy. "You ready?"

'He sure is talkative.' Brynn thought to herself as she nodded in response. Bowing slightly before she offered her thanks.

"Thank you, Romeo. I hope that I won't be disturbing your schedule or anything."

"Woah!" He was taken aback by the girl's formality. "No need to be so formal!" He added waving his hands rapidly infront of himself. He then turned back to animated self as he walked towards the door, pressing button in order to open it.

"Let's get going. Friar isn't much of a big place, but you definitely will be amazed."

* * *

The duo managed to explore most of the areas in Friar; the laboratory area, executive floor, housing areas, lobby and the garden. The garden was turning out to be the female's favorite place and she decided that she would visit it later on. They were currently in the cafeteria, deciding on what to eat.

"I guess that you don't have much credit yet." The blonde male realized and paused for awhile, his face suddenly lit up with an idea running through his head.

"I'll treat you to your first meal in 3 years!" He declared quite loudly. Brynn only smiled at his excitement and eagerness. He reminded her of someone that she used to know, and a certain situation in the past.

" _I've still got a nanosecond of experience over you." An orange blur made itself appear in her vision, they were surrounded by white._

Brynn flinched at the sudden memory that appeared, earning her a look of worry and concern from her companion. "Are you okay?" She nodded and gave a reassuring smile.

"I'm fine, it's probably just the hunger." She nodded again, convincing herself, she then gave a wink as she teased, "Didn't you just offer to buy me lunch?" The sudden switch in behavior surprised him but he only chuckled and played along. After that, they managed to converse casually as they proceeded to get their meals and eat.


	2. Chapter 1

"If I had known that you ate that much, I wouldn't have offered to buy you lunch." The blonde openly lamented to his companion who had a triumphant look on her face. The male had spent triple than what he usually does just because of the girl who had an insatiable hunger.

Good thing that he wasn't born during the 2010s and before that, he inwardly cringed at the thought of 'dates' and having to spend that much cash for a single meal, to spend money in order to please another person. He began to question why men, or women, during those times were so willing to do all that. He wouldn't bother to spend a single credit if he were in that situation, he was only forced now because of his own words.

Unless of course, it was a certain idol he would go on a date with. He would willingly go broke twice just to be in the mere presence of her. That answered all his questions from earlier.

"You just offered someone, who was out cold for three years, a meal. You should have done the math." She snickered as they walked on, the moping God Eater was now escorting her to the training facilities. The doctor had requested to see her performance after 3 years or being on standby. To see that if she was still a match for her God Arc even after changing Armlet.

She felt nervous, would she still know how to wield the weapon? Or would it reject her. It has been so long after all. Numerous thoughts crossed her mind the moment that they arrived in front of the metallic doors.

"Well, that ends Romeo Leoni's free tour around Friar!" He perked up, breaking the streak of silence that they previously in. He gave a fake salute, making the girl giggle and forget about the thoughts that she had been drowning in. He walked away, bidding her good luck.

It was now or never.

She pushed the door, feeling the coolness spread through her fingers, she had been met with more steel walls, a couple of platforms, and her God Arc in the midst of that all in some sort of storage. The onyx colored scythe, decorated with gold intricate designs called out to her, Auricle was its name. She saw the blast gun that partnered with it, Agrent, and the shield, Cuivre. Her heart began to pound rapidly as she responded to its call. Taking slow and steady steps towards it.

"I assume that you are well enough to take part in simulated combat, Brynn?" The familiar eerie voice of the doctor came through the speakers. The girl being called, paid no attention to her and continued to advance towards the weapon that beckoned her. She grabbed it by the hilt, the storage previously containing it folding itself to the ground.

It was just her and Auricle.

" _3 rules: Don't die; if you're in danger, run; lastly, hide. If you catch the enemy off guard-"_

" _-! Behind you!" The sound of someone's shield being deployed followed by one crashing hard to the ground echoed in their ears._

" _Well, there you go. Welcome to this Godforsaken place. I'm-"_

The torrents of visions had stopped, Brynn looked around her and saw Aragami imitations around the area. They were all slain. A small giggle had caught her attention.

"That was impressive. It proves that you no longer need extra training or rehabilitation whatsoever." The speaker resonated throughout the entire room, the voice of the woman coming through again. The platinum haired girl look down towards her God Arc and a sense of comfort and warmth washed over her. It had given her a sense of familiarity and of home, despite the foreign place that she was currently in.

"Without further ado, I welcome you to Fenrir's Elite unit, the Blood Special Forces. You will be able to accomplish more than you ever have." The last line had left her in a state of confusion.

'What does she mean by that?'

The girl, unwillingly departed without her God Arc. She had been given the rest of the day to explore and rest. She then began to realize how empty and solemn Friar was. She began to look for the male that had kept her company earlier.

"Where's Romeo when you need him." She muttered to herself before entering the elevator. She decided to check the garden once again instead. The flowers and tranquil aura that the garden gave off eased her and captivated her.

The lift came to a stop at her desired floor, although the garden was encased in a big glass dome, it didn't stop the garden from receiving an appropriate amount of sunlight and warmth. It was serene and peaceful.

"So you've finally awakened?" A voice from the side of the tree had brought her out of a trance caused by the area. Her cheeks stained pink as she looked over to the direction where the voice was coming from. A man with dark blonde hair, sporting regal-looking, violet-dominated clothing stared at her. His grey orbs meeting her caramel-colored orbs. He was sitting beneath the only tree in the garden.

"Why don't you join me?" He referred to the space near him, gesturing towards it. His voice was firm and commanding yet there was a gentle undertone. Brynn did not waste a single second and walked over towhere the male had been sitting, she settled down on the spot somewhat near him.

They mingled in the comforting aura that the garden brought them, "This is such a peaceful place." Brynn broke the silence that they were in. The man nodded, looking towards the glass dome that they were enclosed in. He gave a delighted and relieved sigh.

"Indeed, this is my favorite place in Friar. I come here when I need to reflect." The silence consumed them again, not that she mided, it was the good kind of silence. The one that she would be comfortable being in.

"How are you feeling?" He asked out of the blue, an attempt to get the conversation going and to break the silence.

'Was that his attempt to make small talk?'

'Give him credit, Brynn.'

'I can't, I'm broke.'

Upon realizing that she was taking some time to respond and that the male was already looking at her with a concerned look, her face flushed once again. She hastily answered.

"I'm feeling better." She gave a small smile, trying to calm him down or stop him from asking more questions, "Just a bit woozy, and ironically; sleepy." She and the other one laughed carefreely at what the former said. With that, they were able to have a light and easy conversation.

"I heard about your performance during the assessment test. Congratulations on getting into Blood." He lied, he didn't just hear about it, in fact, he was there the entire time. He watched and observed the way the girl bonded with her God Arc, the way that she brutally decapitated the false Aragami without batting an eyelash. He saw that all from the viewing deck alongside the lame woman.

Despite the distance between them while he watched, he noticed that the female was dazed the entire time.

"Thank you, uh…" Dead air came as she continued to stare into his grey eyes. "I never got your name?" She awkwardly said in realization. She had been talking with the man for over 20 minutes. And still she never bothered to ask for his name.

"Oh, you're right. I apologize." He cleared his throat before continuing, "I am Julius Visconti, captain of the Blood Unit." What he said had caused her eyes to widen in shock.

"Ah, no need to get tensed about-" He attempted to ease her.

"Your last name sounds like biscotti!" She cut him off with what she said. This earned the other to be taken aback. He began to notice the relevance and the fact that it did sound that way.

"I suppose that you are right." He finally chuckled upon recognizing. He couldn't help but smile at the cheerfulness that the girl was giving off. At first, she had been a bit quiet and withdrawn, but after a few exchanges of sentences, she could easily and unhesitantly talk with him.

"I guess that you already know who I am, but for formality sake." She paused and faced him, "I am Brynn Amaryllis Mercu. Pleasure to be in your team, Captain." They continued to talk after that, it only lasted a few minutes before the male rose from his place and dusted the dirt from his pants.

"Well, I still have some work to finish. I enjoyed conversing with you." He stuck out his hand to help out Brynn. She politely declined with a small smile.

"I'll head back inside in a little while." She waved her hand. "Good luck with work." She snickered.

The other smiled at her statement before proceeding to walk towards the lift, "I am certain that we will meet again and very soon." He raised an arm in the air, waving, then entered the lift fully disappearing from the girl's view. She shifted a bit against the tree, trying to find a position that would be comfortable.

The smile that found its way to her face never wavering, her eyes slowly began to close and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.

" _Blood Beta coming in." The voice echoed in her ears, she couldn't tell who it was coming from as her vision had been consumed by darkness. Only the figure of light would appear every once in awhile. "Target aragami is no longer in the vicinity, however, the injured God Eater has been located. The bias signals that you had picked up earlier were precise." She heard the footsteps shuffling near her. "Requesting for immediate pickup. I have already conducted necessary first aid."_

 _She groaned, trying to move and switch sides as she was feeling numb._

" _Roger, your pick up will be there in approximately 20 minutes." Came the voice which seemed to be coming from an earpiece. Her hearing had grown to be extremely sensitive, an adaptation of the body as her sight had been limited. "How is he holding up? No signs of approaching Aragami."_

" _She is stable and responsive." She felt a warm finger press against the side of heard head that joined with the neck, whoever that person was, was feeling her pulse. "Her pulse is faster than the usual, but will most-likely regulate. I will be moving her to a safer location." The person on the other line had said something but she could no longer decipher it. She felt a pair of arms, snake themselves under her legs and back, carrying her bridal style._

 _She could only hear the crushing of dirt under the other's shoes. They stayed like that for a couple of minutes, until the unknown person had laid her down on grass. She felt bandages being wrapped around parts of her body that was going through a lot of strain. The male had stopped after a couple of minutes, when the sound of helicopter propellers had made themselves known. The strong pair of arms had picked her up once again._

Her eyes fluttered open to reveal that she was no longer in the garden, rather, in a dim and new room. She presumed that it was her own room. She checked the clock and saw that it was already 3 in the morning. Heading outside to explore was the least of her options.

Or she thought so.

She struggled to fall asleep, she tossed and turned, forcefully closing her eyes, counting Ogretails jumping over some pseudo-fence, it was all to no avail. She sat up, in the process, knocking down some pillows that had been arranged around her bed.

'Who brought me here anyways?' She noticed that she was in her nightclothes, consisting of a pair of shorts and a grey tank top. She dismissed the thought and continued to scan the empty and silent room.

"I must have fallen asleep too early yesterday." She figured. She stood up before she could think of deeper and more serious thoughts that would deprive her of the capability to sleep. She stretched, feeling some of the joints pop with each action, yawning loudly. Her stomach made a loud growling sound that she thought could rival a Vajra's.

"So apparently, I can recall Aragami names but not the people who I knew? Nice one, brain. Well played." She argued with herself while walking towards the door that was the exit. She was met with a hallway that had more doors, and at the end of it, was a lift.

She whimpered and trudged lazily, "Where am I going to find food here?" Before she could reach the elevator, the smell of something delicious had caught her eye, or nose.

She followed the scent, her sense of smell had multiplied, and was lead to one of the rooms that the door had been slightly ajar. Her manners and courtesy had been stripped away by her hunger, she pushed the door open and peaked inside. There she saw a girl with short black hair that had been formed to resemble cat ears. She had dark pink eyes, matching the pajamas she had been wearing. In her hand, was a foot long sandwich that Brynn had been gazing at with longing.

"Ah!" The black-haired girl noticed her, stopping as she was about to bite into her sandwich. "You must have smelt my odenpan!" Her pink eyes widened in panic. "I'll give you one if you promise not to tell anyone that I've been sneaking food in the middle of the night!" She taunted while pulling out another one from aragami-knows where, and flashed it in front of the starving girl.

'Don't mind if I do.' She thought to herself as she let herself in and closed the door behind her. She walked up to the girl and got the bread that had been handed over to her willingly.

Talk about restrain.

"Thank you…" She breathed as she looked at the sandwich in awe.

"No worries!" The other grinned genuinely. "I was planning to give you one anyways." This earned a quizzical look from the blonde. 'What did she mean by that?'

She cocked her head to the side, nearly forgetting the sandwich in her hand.

"You are Brynn Amaryllis Mercu, right?" The black-haired girl asked to confirm, said girl nodded in response to her name. She took in the sandwich. The bread was soft as well as the shrimp and other seafood that was inside of it, the delicate taste making itself known in her mouth. "I'm Nana Kozuki! Blood's newest recruit. I arrived the day before you woke up. Romeo told me allll about you!"

The last part nearly made her gag, the male probably ranted about her appetite and that probably prompted the girl to giving her a sandwich.

They both finished their sandwiches, Nana finishing first in a pace that made her appear beast-like. Brynn took double the time, finding it hard to shovel down the bread into her mouth despite the hunger that she was going through.

The two continued to talk a bit more, before the intruder had noticed that Nana was growing to be sleepy. Her eyes slowly drooping as each second passed.

"Nana, I really appreciate the food and your time, but I don't want to deprive you of your rest." She made her way towards the door, and just as she was going to say goodnight, the girl that she was talking to had already zonked out on the bed. She smiled in amusement, gently closing the door without a sound, and went back to her room with footsteps echoing down the hallway. She plopped down on her bed, and allowed the darkness to take over her. She drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

~'~'~

In one of the spacious rooms that had been constructed on Friar, someone had been going through confidential articles and locked files.

"Ah, who would have known?" The whimsical voice resonated with the metal pipes in the room's ceiling. Figure looming over the laptop that had multiple tabs opened.

"Allow yourself to bloom in peace one last time, little flower on the hill. The strong winds of terror are bound to whisk you away very soon."


	3. Chapter 2

During the next few days, the blonde had been subjected to multiple medical examinations, as well as a couple of tune-ups for her God Arc. Her first and only God Arc had been upgraded into a third and second generation prototype. It had some tweaks and would require constant observation in case that it would experience complications as it was still in the developing stage. The reason why she refused to change it was because of the attachment that she claimed she had with it. Fortunately, the God Arc engineers complied to her wants and managed to modify it instead. Currently, she was making her way towards Friar's silent lobby. She was requested to talk with Fran, the branch's operator.

"Morning, Fran!" She greeted with a jolly smile, "Finally going to throw me into the lions?" She joked causing the other to chuckle. Despite the light small talk that they were having, she remained focus on typing. She stopped and turned the screen towards the platinum haired girl.

"You are to defeat 5 Ogretails that are roaming around the Abandoned City." The young operator informed her as she closed in on the screen, she noticed the two names that were labelled with yellow and blue.

Julius Visconti and Nana Kozuki. This caused the girl's lips to curl upwards, she realized that she had not seen the two since the first time they met, which had been about a week now. She would have lunch with Romeo on some occasions, said male was thrilled and relieved at the fact that her appetite had normalized. Often joking that Friar would run out of rations because of the monstrosity that she called her appetite, this earned Romeo a couple of bruises here and there. Despite the size of Friar, she would rarely run into the other two.. This made her wonder if there was some spell casted on her that would repel the Captain and the recruit.

'I probably deserve that after comparing some guy's last name to a dessert and sneaking into someone's room in the middle of the night just for food.' She bemused, not noticing the way that the operator was looking at her who had to clear her thought just to get her to snap from her daydreaming.

"Ah, when do we depart?" She pulled away from the screen to look at the other blonde. She faced the screen back and continued to type.

"Captain Julius has already gone ahead, he came from another mission which happened to be near the area. As soon as Kozuki arrives, you are to leave." The moment that she said those words, the black-haired girl that they previously talking about had made an appearance.

She was panting, indicating that she had ran, "Sorry I'm late!" She bowed with her hands on her knees. "I'm ready to go." She stood up properly, her breath finally normalizing. Fran then briefed her as Brynn decided to head to the God Arc storage area. She carried Auricle towards the departure area, soon followed by her companion who was clad in an extremely revealing and bare outfit. Brynn couldn't help but stare, a wave of nostalgia washing over her.

"Earth to Brynn!" Nana snapped her out of her reverie, "Are you ready to head out?" She asked with a bright smile. Brynn nodded with a bright blush on her face as she muttered a yes. They made their way to the helicopter.

'Great, she must think that I'm a perv or something. But she does have a great rack.'

* * *

The two arrived at the point of rendezvous, they walked towards the edge of the cliff where the captain of their unit stood watching. His eyes training themselves on the aragami loafing around below them.

"Captain Julius!" Nana ran up to him with a wide grin, waving her free arm in the air as she dragged her Boost Hammer with one arm. Brynn followed close behind, her excitement was more toned down than the former but the smile remained fixed on her face.

"Good morning, Nana." Julius formally said as he nodded his head towards the scythe wielder's direction, acknowledging her.

Brynn returned the nod, "Good morning, Captain." She finally spoke up.

"I hope that neither of you are feeling uneasy after the journey, I know that helicopter rides can get a bit shaky. We all need to be on the tip of our toes." Before any of the two females could reply, a creature suddenly sprang from behind ready to attack. Nana shrieked, closing her eyes as a reflex, Brynn switched to her gun and shot it before it could harm any of them. A loud thud had been heard the Ogretail fell to the ground.

"You have very good reflexes, Brynn." Julius praised, his eyes slightly widened. This time, another one jumped out. Brynn cursed because of the lack of OP that she had, instead, she covered her cowering companion to take the impact or the attack.

She had her back turned as she braced for the impact, her eyes tightly shut closed as she waited. It never came. She heard a soft chuckle prompting her to turn around, her eyes widening in surprise. The Ogretail was latched unto her captain's forearm. He had a smug smile as if it were nothing.

'What the fuck?' The man then tossed the bipedalled beast into the air and sliced through it with his long blade, as if it was as light as a feather. She now knew why he held the position of captain. He wasn't just responsible, he was pretty strong too.

"Two down, three to go." He announced, his voice remained calm despite the two attacks. This did not stop Brynn from seeing the blood that was pouring out of his arm. Despite God Eaters having exceptional healing abilities, wounds still hurt and it would take awhile.

She approached him, getting something from the pouch that had been strapped to her thigh, "Before we proceed, do allow me to fix that." It was more of an order rather than a suggestion. Julius acquiesced, his grey eyes fixated on his left arm that was currently being patched up by the girl.

She finished, managing to stop the bleeding and properly bandage it. Julius flexed her arm a bit to check whether it was getting in his way. "Thank you." Brynn gave a cheeky grin and a winked before she joked shamelessly.

"What about treat me to lunch later?" She prompted, half-joking. This caused the other's eyes to widen, before it closed with a smile playing on his lips.

"Very well, it can be arranged. I'm clear for the day anyways." The other smiled widely, while the black-haired girl behind them watched the exchange with amusement and curiosity.

"Very well," Julius turned to face the greenland with multiple demolished buildings that scattered around. "Let's begin." He jumped down, followed by his two female companions.

There were three Ogretails walking around, devouring on whatever edible scraps that they could feast upon. Their attention diverted towards the three God Eaters, causing them to roar in an enraged manner. Brynn was the first to reach her target, swinging Auricle with strength and power, greatly damaging the Ogretail who backed away in pain. After a couple more swings with her Scythe, the enemy had been taken down. The other two still dealing with theirs. She switched to her gun to provide back-up, aiming alternately at the two Ogretails.

"Behold the Blood Art!" Julius shouted, his blade was now bathing in red and black as he swung his blade with extreme speed, precision, and power. He cut through the Ogretail multiple times without slowing down. The moment that he stopped, the beast roared one last time before it had been silenced, falling to the ground.

Dead.

"Woah!" Nana was the first to react, just finishing her Ogretail as well, smashing its skull multiple times with her hammer. "That was amazing." She said in awe making her way over to the captain.

Julius began to explain more about Blood Power and Blood Art, Brynn had only been half listening. Her head was starting to throb but she masked it by putting on a blank face. Fortunately, her captain had not asked her anything or else they would have known that she was not listening. The three proceeded to walk over to the extraction area.

"I would have brought a novel if I knew that it would have taken such short time." Julius sighed displeasure at his own forgetfulness. He would always forget that group missions in this rank would usually require a short amount of time to accomplish. They would be stuck in the waiting point for quite some time. He mentally scolded himself.

"Here." He caught the book that had been chucked at him by a certain platinum-haired girl. He caught it with ease and brought it near to his face, reading the title.

"The Lilac Sage?" He read the title out loud with inquisitiveness.

Brynn nodded before describing the book, "It's about an extremely competitive culinary school during the 2010s. It sounds boring but I find it worth reading." Her brief explanation had him nodding with acceptance.

"Aren't you going to read it?" He asked, not wanting the girl to suffer the boredom that their waiting would provide them with. He had to suffer through that multiple times. The girl waved her hand in an dismissive manner with a small yawn.

They made it to the pick-up point which was also the starting point. She made her way towards one of the boulders and slid down, leaning against it.

"Don't worry, I plan on sleeping." She shifted a bit to fix her position, Julius stood across her, leaning against the stone walls as he began to read his book. Brynn placed her God Arc in its gun form and closed her weary eyes.

Julius couldn't help but notice that the girl was going to sleep, "For someone who has been sleeping for 3 years, you prioritize your siestas." He remarked with amusement but had not received a reply, the girl had been pulled into the arms of sleep almost instantly. He now was too engrossed in the book that had been lent to him by the said girl. Their other teammate was busy munching on the comical sandwich that she always summoned from the white bag that she usually brought. They stayed in silence until the hour was up, their pick up had arrived.

Julius noticed that his companion was not being roused from her sleep despite the loud helicopter, he made his way over to her, gently nudging her shoulder. "Brynn, it's time to proceed back to Friar." Her caramel eyes fluttered open to lock with his grey ones. She blinked rapidly.

"I'm up." She begrudgingly pushed herself up, stretching her arms in the process. She remembered her God Arc and followed after the two who entered helicopter.

* * *

The trio arrived at Friar, storing their God Arcs in the storage area. Nana had gone separate from them in order to attend lectures. Lectures that Brynn was exempted from because of the profound knowledge that she managed to carry over despite her memory loss. The two had been left alone.

"Well then," Julius broke the pregnant silence as they walked down the stairs, "Shall we go for lunch? I do have a promise to uphold." He gestured to his bandaged arm. Causing the blonde to put a diffident look on her face, which turned to a small smile.

"I was just kidding about that!" She replied, a blush appearing on her cheeks, causing her companion to slightly smirk.

"It's fine, really. It will be a good way for me to get to know you." After a little bit more of coaxing, they made their way towards the cafeteria.

"Friar is said to have greater food quality in comparison to the other branches." He explained as he used a chopstick to pick up a vegetable at the side of his dish. He got steamed fish. "The worst being the Far East, despite them being the front lines." He stuffed it into his mouth, chewed then swallowed before continuing. "However, I heard that there has been advancement in their rations."

Brynn stuffed a piece of chicken into her mouth, it was juicy and soft, she hummed in delight, "I suppose that I'm lucky that I ended up here then. The food is great!" Her words held true as Julius watched the way she ate her food, she clearly was enjoying it.

"Your God Arc seems to be made of rare Aragami." Julius tried to strike a conversation after he had finished his fish, they had been talking about food nonstop. The new recruit turned out to be a food fanatic.

Brynn swallowed her food before answering, "I checked it's stats earlier, and saw that it's mostly Aether and Hannibal." She explained, Julius' full attention was upon her. She had her eyes looking up as she thought of what other materials her God Arc was made of. "I honestly can't remember the other materials, I'll have to check it out later."

The dark blonde couldn't help but be in a state of disbelief, if she was capable of having those materials, it would mean that she wasn't just a rookie. Her fighting style did scream experience. The fact that she had high-level materials just showed that she also encountered those Aragami previously. God Eaters usually kept their materials to themselves, to sell or to use to upgrade their equipment. No one would have given her materials like those.

"You must have been an exemplary God Eater from wherever you first originated." He mused, this prompted the other one to sigh with a small smile following after. The male had noticed this, "Perhaps, I could provide support in unearthing what branch you came from." Her face lit up, she gave him a genuine smile this time.

"Thank you. That means a lot, captain."

Julius nodded, "No need to be so formal, Julius will do."

"Alright, Julius." She tested the name, "Thank you so much for lunch!" She gave her thanks once again. Julius chuckled softly.

They both stood up now, walking over to the rack where they would leave the trays, "I look forward to the next time." He hinted at another lunch or chat that didn't involve being in the battlefield. They made their way out and went their separate ways.

Julius made his way to his room, he needed to finish a couple of mission reports that had been piling up. He made his way to his terminal and began typing away. He managed to finish it all within 2 hours with breaks in between. His left arm was still a bit strained after using it to block the Ogretail.

'Why did I do that in the first place?' He scolded himself, he could have just cut through it. He decided to use his freaking arm.

Deciding that it was time to start on the promise that he made earlier, he began looking at the different branches. Basing on her last name and starting with European branches; the one in France, Germany, Belgium, etc. None had information in regards to the blonde girl. He checked North and South America branches, but still no answers to his questions.

Just as he was about to check the branches in Asia, a knock on the door had caused him to close his terminal. Cursing at the thought that he may have forgotten to save that last report.

"Come in." He managed to calmly call out, the door opened slowly to reveal the second person to join Blood, Romeo.

"Sorry to interrupt, Julius, but Doc Rachel is asking for you." He casually said as only half his body could be seen through the door. Julius sighed in relief.

"I'll be there." He gave a curt nod, "Thank you, Romeo." Said male gave him a thumbs up and gently closed the door. Julius gathered the folders which contained other reports and documents, then proceeded towards the outside. He looked back at the terminal before saying.

"I suppose that you have to wait a bit longer."


	4. Chapter 3

The succeeding days came as a blur for Brynn. It was nearly the same thing everyday; go on two to three missions, majority of them being with Julius who she had grown quite familiar and close to, lunch on her own or with any of the three Blood members, then would head out to train in the field or the simulator rooms, sometimes the gym which was rarely used.

Currently, she had just gotten back from a mission, a mission where she had to exterminate a Konguo on her own. She would have requested for a companion, but the three had gone out on a group mission without her. (She slept in.) She stretched her sore arms, that had been abused after having to slash through the ape-like aragami multiple times, wanting to head to the shower and take a nap in her room or in the garden. Fortunately, she had been granted the rest of the day as a free day.

"Hey! It's Brynn, you're back!" Romeo called out to her as she made her way down, about to proceed to the elevator which lead to the housing area. Although she was usually happy conversing with her fellow Blood from time to time, this definitely wasn't one of those times. She fought the urge to release a groan.

'Maybe if I pretend not to notice him.' Her plan had been foiled when she heard another voice join the fray.

"Brynn, you made it back! You should have joined us earlier!" It was Nana's turn to speak, for the first time other than in battle, the platinum-haired girl did not see a sandwich in her clutches. Her stomach rumbled at the thought. She gave them both a small and tired smile in response, hoping that they would notice.

They didn't.

She was forced to join their small circle as they discussed, "I was just telling Nana here that she shouldn't just rush in, isn't that right?" He was looking for Brynn to side with him. Although she understood Romeo's reasoning, Nana spoke up before she could give her answer.

"Sounds like chicken to me!" She began to make chicken sounds as she teasingly neared the blonde male.

'Mmmm… Chicken.' Brynn got briefly distracted by the thought of food. She had been shaken out of her food fantasy when Romeo shrieked and got pushed on to her. This resulted to her hitting whoever was behind her causing her to panic.

She spun around and bowed to the person who she bumped, "I'm so sorry." She apologized, when she looked up, her eyes met a petite brown haired girl who wore a simple white dress. Unfortunately for her, the girl she bumped into was accompanied by two authorities in Friar.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Came the enraged voice of the director, he glared indignantly at the trio before turning back to his guest with a gentle and apologetic look. "I apologize for their behavior, Ms. Yuno. These children are only good at slaying aragami or whatever they do." He insulted them harshly, Brynn glowered but bit her tongue.

"Now, now…" It was the redhead's turn to scold them, but in a gentle manner. "No horseplay in the lobby, we don't want to disturb our important guest." She gave a knowing look to Brynn who was now calm. They nodded in response and voiced their apologies. They left immediately, making their way to the elevator.

Nana stared at their blonde companion with a questioning look. The boy was staring dreamily at his own hand, she leaned over to Brynn who had been rubbing her sore arm, "I think that we lost Romeo."

"Don't you know who she is?! That's Yuno Ashihara!" He prattled, loud enough for the girl being talked about to hear. She turned towards them, making eye contact with Brynn. Not wanting to appear rude, Brynn returned with a small smile.

"I'll be heading out now." She announced in the midst of Romeo's babbling, after hearing him say that he wouldn't be taking a bath, it reminded her of her own need of a bath.

"Brynn! I was just kidding." He bawled, trying to reach out to the departing girl but she had moved her arm away just in time, she turned slightly and stuck her tongue out. Nana giggled at the childish behavior that was being displayed.

"Unlike you, I actually prefer keeping myself clean." She was standing in front of the elevator which lead to the housing area.

"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity!" He said in exasperation. Brynn no longer heard what he said as she entered the lift. She pressed the floor where Blood unit had been assigned to.

* * *

"Finally, a bath and sleep." She muttered as she exited the shower, she got dressed in the empty and clean room and began to walk towards her room, her towel and toiletries in hand. The moment that she was going to unlock the door and step in, a hand reached over the knob before she could. This caused her to jump a bit and yelp. She dropped her towel and punched whoever had surprised her in the gut.

Her eyes widened upon realizing who it was.

"Oh my gosh, Captain Bisco- I mean, Visconti! I'm so sorry!" She panicked as the male was hunched on the floor, the look of pain was evident on his face. He groaned, clutching the part where she hit him as she stared at him while he was standing up.

"How many cups of coffee did you have this morning?" He asked jokingly despite the pain that he was feeling. He couldn't help but find the irony in being able to slay aragami without breaking a sweat, but get brought down by a girl who was 4 inches smaller than him.

Brynn sighed in relief at the fact that he wasn't that hurt. He was but the point was he didn't pass out, right? She then looked back to what happened this morning.

" _Hey, can I have 3 cups of coffee?" A zombiefied caramel-eyed girl made her way over to the counter. Eyebags made themselves at home under her orbs. Her hair was unruly and had a comb sticking out, a bunch of other things._

 _The woman behind the cashier wouldn't usually allow 3 servings of coffee to one person, but judging by the way the girl looked, she needed it._

 _Badly._

"Uh, I don't think that you need to know." She heard the male grumbling something that went along the lines of 'I should have them limit her caffeine intake' which she ignored. The captain managed to stand properly and summon a small smile.

"I was intending to ask you if you were capable of doing a mission with me. It seems that you are in need to do something about your 'sugar rush'." He didn't notice the horrified look on the girl's face as he turn around, making his way towards the elevator, "I'll be waiting for you downstairs, it's just a small clearing mission." Before she could protest, the man had already entered the elevator and made his way down. She groaned in annoyance.

"I'm gonna make him treat me chicken." She sighed and deposited her stuff in her room before she followed.

* * *

They arrived at their destination, the City of Mercy, which ironically wasn't merciful at all.

"They couldn't think of better names." She muttered under her breath as she suppressed a yawn. She dropped Auricle and began stretching, her limbs were still sore from earlier. Julius was too busy talking on his comm to reply to her.

"Blood Beta coming in, can you read me? We have arrived at the location." Fran's voice came in loud and clear, Brynn could hear her in her own comm as well.

"Your targets for this mission will be a lone Kongou and several Zygotes. I will send the coordinates to your map, they are spread around the area but I suggest going as a team with one backing the other up." A red faded box appeared on Julius' eyepiece. "Currently, only Zygotes are present, however, research squad has found the Kongou on its way. ETA 4 minutes."

Brynn loaded her new bullets as she listened, she chose the blaze and spark elements knowing that it would be effective to both the ape and the flying egg. She chirped to herself as she patted her Agrent, "This will be the perfect time to test them." She then stood beside Julius who had just finished loading his as well.

He looked over at the female before he informed her, "You will be taking the lead, I'll serve as your support." Brynn gave an excited grin.

"Roger that, Captain." She concurred with a tease and jumped off the cliff, Julius following close behind her as they made their way to where most of the Zygotes had gathered. They were in the most spacious place in the entire city, she aimed at the cluster of flying eggs.

"I'll be having you for lunch!" She bellowed as she pushed the trigger, a barrage of red and violet bullets raining down on them. The Zygotes screeched in both pain and anger as the bullets exploded on impact, red liquid splattering on the ground below them. Some had fallen, those that had been directly hit by the bullets, the others charged.

Her gun stopped but she took note of the bullets coming from behind her, she quickly switched to her scythe and sprinted as fast as she could, slashing through the Zygotes in midair. Blood was getting everywhere with each slash as they decreased in number.

"Brynn!" She heard her companion's cry, she spun and just as she did, she was hit by a big ball of air that came at her, hitting her which caused her to fall to the ground.

"Damnit." She cursed as her God Arc had been knocked to the side, a few meters away from her. She looked and saw that the ape was rolling towards her, she scampered to get up, ignoring the strain that was pulling her down. She ran, narrowly missing the Kongou which continued to target her. She managed to pick up her God Arc and brought out her shield just in time for an attack.

"You smell Kongou blood on me." She taunted, she did just kill one of its kind earlier. As if the aragami had understood her, it roared and continued to charge again. She dodged just in time, dashed to its tail and slashed through it, managing to unbound the tail. It roared aggressively and attempted to belly flop on her. She avoided it by stepping backwards.

She dashed far away and switched to her gun, she aimed and began to fire, seeing that her OP levels were now refilled. She was distracted, and before she knew it, she had been attacked by another flying egg from behind her. She groaned in annoyance and aimed at it instead, with Julius dealing melee attacks to the gigantic ape.

"Brynn! Health readings are extremely low, fall back and heal!" The blonde ignored the operator's voice and began charging towards the Kongou, whose face and windpipes were extremely damaged and beyond recognition, she slashed rapidly, dodging its attempts to attack.

She nearly got hit by another ball of wind when her companion had pulled her away just in time, "Be careful." He reminded before continuing to attack, Brynn switched to her gun to support the Captain. Within a couple of more minutes, the Kongou had been brought down.

Dead.

* * *

Julius was concentrated on the Ape-like Aragami as his predator began eating away happily. Its own core glowed bright blue before turning back to the usual orange color, he examined the materials that had been extracted.

"Great work, Brynn." He turned his head to face her after she did not respond, his eyes widened upon seeing how worn out the girl was, he rushed to her.

"Are you alright?" He asked, voice full of concern as he examined for any major injuries. All he could see was a few cuts and scratches her and there, bruises, but nothing that brought him too much worry. He then realized, checking their health levels.

"It's the poison…" He realized upon seeing how low the girl's health was and the small purple image which was beside her name.

"I'm fine." She weakly said, she was partially telling the truth, she couldn't feel pain but she felt how drained and tired she was. She attempted to stand up, only resulting with her staggering, causing her back to hit the wall. "Damnit." She cursed under her breath.

The male bent down in order to swing her arm over his shoulder, "We need to head to the extraction point. We'll patch you up there." He firmly said as they began to walk towards where they came. "I believe that I still have some detox pills." He couldn't check as both his hands were occupied. His left arm was carrying his God Arc while the right was wrapped around the female's waist.

Upon realizing how slow they were walking, Julius stopped and looked at the physically drained girl, "It will be easier if you climb on my back. Just hold on to your God Arc, alright?" He then ducked under her arm so that it landed on his shoulder, waiting for her other arm to wrap around his shoulders.

Brynn was usually adamant when it came to things like this, but she knew not to disagree with the captain as it would make things worse. She wrapped her arms around the male's shoulders and buried her head into the sun-kissed hair. She breathed in, taking in his scent which somehow wasn't anything near gross or showing signs that he had broken a sweat. It was refined, matching the princely aura that he gave off.

'Wait, princely aura?' She cursed herself, her head began to hurt so she tightly closed her eyes instead of arguing with herself even more.

"I'm sorry for being such a burden, Julius." She whispered in embarrassment. Further burying her face into his collar which caused an accidental blush on the other's face.

Julius thanked the heavens that she couldn't see how flustered he was, "Don't worry about it, however,I believe that we need to have you checked when we return to Friar. Are you feeling any pain?"

The girl paused for a while, thinking deeply, when she realized that she was just feeling numb and tired, but not once did she feel pain. She hasn't in a long while.

"No…" Her voice trailed off. The male lowly hummed in thought, just as he thought.

Julius was glad that being a God Eater granted them an increase in strength, however, he could feel the girl's weight taking toll on his back. They were almost near the extraction point, "Brynn, you've gain weight. It must be from all the free meals you're getting." He got smacked on the head.

He wasn't expecting that.

"You jerk! You don't tell girl's that they're gaining weight." She muttered the last part in annoyance, that was extremely rude of him to say. She wanted to chew his head off, she had the chance to at the moment but he would drop her if she did.

"My apologies, was there anything with what I said?" She just hit him on the head but he still managed to remain composed.

Brynn sighed, besides the captain being formal and an intelligent human being, he was pretty clueless from time to time. She wouldn't be surprised if he thought that some bizarre tree existed or something along those lines.

They remained silent, Brynn had drifted off to sleep by the time that they arrived. Julius gently laid her down on the ground as and set their weapons beside each other, where they could reach just in case. He shuffled through his various healing items in search of the pill that he needed. He sighed in relief when he managed to find one and a couple of restore pills. He kneeled beside the sleeping girl and lifted her head up, "Here you go, Brynn." Her lips parted, allowing him to slip in the pills. She gently roused from her sleep after swallowing them.

"Ugh, that tastes disgusting." She groaned as she rubbed her eyes, she began to feel the strain disappear as she stretched her arms, "But it's effective." She nodded in approval. Julius sighed in relief.

"Don't strain yourself, Brynn." He warned the girl as she tried to stand up, she ended up falling again, her legs still wobbly after being carried for a few moments, she landed on something soft, which happened to be her unit captain.

Her back was against his lap, she looked up and saw how worry had marred his usually relaxed face, "I'm so sorry, Julius…" She was ashamed, she let her guard down multiple times and had to be pulled away by him multiple times, she had to be carried.

Julius shifted so that their position was more comfortable, he sighed slightly, "I should be the one apologizing, as unit captain, I should have noticed your strain earlier. I asked you to accompany me on this mission. And the mission wouldn't have been a success without you." Before the girl could argue, Julius pressed on his receiver.

"Requesting for immediate pick-up, mission has been accomplished successfully."

"Your pick-up is on the way, it's coming from Friar so estimated time will be 30 minutes." The operator's voice disappeared, he looked down to see that the girl had fallen asleep. He chuckled lightly, before grabbing the book that was stuffed inside one of his pouches, he began reading.

* * *

Brynn's eyes opened but squinted immediately as bright lights filled her vision. She tried to adjust to them, thanks to being used to Stun Grenades, it didn't take long.

"My, my, I never expected you to be back here so soon." She turned to the side and her eyes met with bright blue ones. "You have caused Julius extreme worry. It's been awhile since he's been so concerned. He requested that I run tests on you." The woman clad in black added.

"Test?" She looked at her quizzically, "But why?" She sat up, her body was no longer too drained to function. She noticed that a large portion of her forearms had been wrapped in bandage. She turned back to the woman who was looking at a tabloid.

"The part of your brain which is supposed to be reacting to pain isn't functioning properly." She reached over and pinched the girl's side. "Do you feel anything?" She asked, a sweet smile playing on her lips. Brynn's eyes widened.

She felt the action but that was it, "I… I didn't…" After all the missions that she had gone to, she never came to realize that. The doctor's soft giggles snapped her out of her thoughts.

"This is both a blessing and a curse." She announced with a sly smile playing on her face. "You are free to have your dinner." She turned and rolled over towards the door, "I am certain that Julius will be ecstatic to see you. Also, do assist in welcoming your new brother tomorrow." She then left, leaving the girl even more confused.

Brynn stood up, fixing the bed sheets and disarrayed pillows. She trudged towards the cafeteria where she saw Nana and Romeo eating. Romeo had noticed her arrival and rapidly waved her arms in the air. His noise had no longer annoyed or irritated the others in the area. The platinum-haired girl gave a small smile and walked towards them. Willingly this time.

"How you doing? We heard what happened." Nana was the first to question the girl.

"Doc Rachel told us about your medical report too." Romeo added with pity somewhat shimmering in his eyes. "Whatever had caused you to lose one of you senses must have been an intense event or something."

Pity. She hated it. She hated being pitied.

" _Poor child, destined to die the moment that she's been born."_

" _Didn't she come from an elite family? How devastating that she's fated to be one of them."_

" _The moment that she steps into the battlefield, she's dead."_

Brynn inwardly cringed at the sudden flow of energy, "I'm alright." She gave a small reassuring smile at the two, she then perked up upon realizing what she was there for, "Ah, have you two seen captain?" A cheeky grin appeared on Romeo's face.

"Getting all chummy now, aren't we?" He teased. In response, Brynn rolled her eyes and skillfully sneaked the knife on the table into her hand. She threateningly tossed it in the air and caught in repeatedly. This caused Romeo to swallow the lump in his throat and to shy away, his black-haired companion giggled.

"Hey now, Brynn…" He raised his hands defensively in the air as the girl glared daggers at him, "I treated you your first lunch, remember?" He squeaked the moment that Brynn placed the knife down, near him. She turned towards Nana.

"He said that he would be resting in his room, I think?" The female blonde nodded in response and began to proceed to the kitchen, her teammates looking at her with curiosity.

"Wonder if they'll allow me to use the kitchen."

 **A/N - Forgive me if Julius seems OOC? I'm working on it. Hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter!**


	5. Chapter 4

"Damnit." Julius cursed as big red letters flashed on the screen of his laptop for the nth time that afternoon.

He was currently trying to gain access to the confidential files of the Far East Branch, them having the most in comparison to the other branches which brought him great suspicion. However, he was incapable of accessing them. He made an presumption that the records of MIA God Eaters had been hidden away as the database was extremely lacking.

A knock on the door released him from his thoughts.

"Come in." He announced, not looking up from his laptop to see who it was, the door cracked open to reveal the once comatosed girl. The door opened a bit more to reveal the tray which she had been carrying in her hands.

"Cap- I mean- Julius, are you busy?" She gently asked before she let herself in and closed the door with her elbow. In her hands, was a slice of cake and a cup of coffee. The male stared at it with curiosity.

"Not at all, I was just about to check on you. But it seems that you found your way here." He closed his laptop and made his way other to the newcomer, "What is that?" He asks, looking at the delicate-looking cake that had tantalized him.

"Uhm…" Brynn paused for a while, thinking of what to say, "I wanted to show my thanks somehow for tending to me earlier. Also, an apology for all the trouble that I've caused you." She looked down at the tray, "The cake is a White Chocolate Semifreddo and the coffee is brewed from Kona beans. I wasn't sure of what you preferred eating. I apologize if my choices had been poor."

Julius couldn't help but smile at the girl in front of him, she was usually so outgoing and loud, but this time she seemed bashful. It was a rare occurrence for her to ask in such a way.

"Thank you, Brynn." He began and took the tray into his hands, gesturing for the girl to take a seat, "I am delighted at the thought that you put a lot of effort into this, I hope that you didn't strain yourself doing so." He placed the tray on the desk that he had, "Do join me, I believe that you are exhausted after preparing all of this."

They took their seats across of each other, "Semifreddo?" He repeated the name of the dish as he picked up the fork, "I haven't had this in a long while." He gently cut through the cake then slowly placed a piece into his mouth. The sweetness awakening his taste buds as he continued to savor the flavor and texture.

Brynn waited for a response, a mixture of nervousness and anticipation. It was the first time that she baked something since she woke up. She somehow managed to remember some recipes that were stored in her mind the moment that she picked up a knife. A memory flashed in her thoughts the moment that she stepped into the kitchen.

" _Brynn made cookies for us again!" An excited voice echoed in the room, an orange making its way over to her. It was the voice of a young man whom she thought she had heard before. Another blur of silver and red came over._

" _How sweet of you! I always look forward to your baked goods." It was a female's voice this time, sounding extremely happy._

" _You better not stop being a God Eater just to work in the kitchen, alright?" A brown blur from the sides piped in, alongside was a black and green blur a bit farther was a blue figure. What the brown figure had said elicited laughter from the others._

"How is it?" Brynn asked upon seeing that the entire slice had been finished, while the male just took a sip from the coffee. The female sighed in relief, there was a delighted and satisfied look on the other's face.

"I invited you to eat with me and still I finished off everything." Julius announced as he placed his cup down, a very unnoticeable pink had stained his cheeks. Despite being the refined, calm and collected person that he was, he was still a God Eater. Which equated to the voracious appetite that the fighters had been bestowed with. Especially now since he hasn't eaten since they left for the mission. He was too worried, and had been piled up with task.

His statement prompted the other to chuckle softly, "It's really alright, Julius. I made it for you after all."

"It's superb." He complimented while looking towards the empty plate, "It reminds me of my childhood." Brynn noticed the sadness that lingered on his eyes as he said that.

"Well, I'm here to listen if you need anyone to open up to." She kindly said causing the other to look back at her, shocked. He paused for a while before giving a small smile.

"Thank you. I just remembered that this was usually a treat that we would have back at the estate." He smiled at the memory of his parents, "My parents, although they were often occupied, they still found time to have dinner as a family." He sighed before changing the topic.

"I hope that you're feeling well." Brynn didn't push to continue the previous topic and grinned to indicate that she was okay.

Brynn couldn't help but think back to the time that the two had first met, how awkward she considered the male. It wasn't his fault, she began to put the pieces together that the other did not have a lot of company when he was younger.

To put it short, he was socially inept, gouche even. Despite being raised in an orphanage, the male had always been isolated from other children. His company was always his surrogate mother.

However she did notice the improvement, she couldn't help but smile at the other's attempt of conversing. She supposed that it was because of the fact that she endlessly pestered him to treat her food or to train with her. She was being praised for managing to break through the older one's shell. Rather, she saw it in a way that he was coming out of his shell instead.

"I'm feeling better." She paused for a while to examine her bandaged arm that had been resting on the seat's arm rest. "Thank you for patching me up and having me checked. I'm just glad that it happened during a mission with you, not a solo mission." The last part was inaudible.

"It's part of my duty as captain, so please, don't stress yourself over what happened." His gentle smile had put her at ease. "Mistakes happen but I am glad that your wounds aren't critical."

The female then stood up, "I may have overstayed. I'll leave now, I guess that you have more tasks to accomplish?" She was about to reach over for the tray which contained the empty plate and cup, but she was stopped, a hand was placed over hers.

" _Will no one adopt little Julius? Whoever does will inherit the entire Visconti estate!"_

" _As well as the riches that will be passed on."_

" _How do you do, Julius?"_

The two blinked and made eye-contact, Julius was the first to speak, "Allow me to take care of that." He insisted, shocked at the sudden memory that came, "Go have your dinner and rest, Brynn. We will be welcoming our newest recruit tomorrow." He added, standing up as well and heading towards the door to open it for the girl.

Brynn complied, albeit hesistant, she proceeded towards the open door, "Alright, see you tomorrow, Julius." She waved goodbye and made her way towards the elevator. Not noticing the stare that the captain was giving her.

Since she wasn't too hungry, she decided to head over to the garden instead. She been going there whenever she was free. The lift stopped at her desired floor, she sighed and walked over to the tree, sitting down with her back against it. She found herself relaxing at the gentle tickle that the night breeze and the grass was making her feel.

" _The branch's very first new-type." Came a voice from the speaker as she stood inside a metallic room. The scenery changed._

 _She stood in a place that had hues of brown and orange, she squinted at the blurred figures of people but she could not decipher them, she couldn't control her body either._

" _Too bad she can't fight. I wouldn't be surprised if she'll die soon."_

" _Another spoiled brat, just what the branch needs."_

 _The scene changed ones again, she was in a white room, she saw the figures of blue, orange, and red._

" _Your God arc has been heavily damaged and will take some time to repair. For now, you will remain on standby." The voice came from the red figure, then she noticed that the orange figure was hunched over._

 _The blue figure walked towards what seemed to be an exit, "I understand that you're willing to risk yourself for the likes of him, but we don't need another -." With that being said, the figure walked out._

Brynn blinked rapidly once again, "What the hell was that?" Lately, different visions would occur, each blurred figure and voice seemed familiar, but she still could not remember a single thing. She sighed in defeat.

"It's time to call it a day."

* * *

A loud thud echoed and could be heard throughout Friar's entire lobby. Julius and Brynn, who had been discussing about different battle tactics and upcoming missions, had diverted their attention from each other to what was happening. They had just arrived at the second floor and had been met with a bubbly blonde writhing in pain on the floor. In front of him, was a newcomer clad in violet.

"What was that for?!" Romeo demanded loudly. He glared up at the other man who was glowering back at him. Julius was the first to approach, standing beside the newcomer while Brynn watched from the sidelines.

"What's going on here, soldier?" He spoke up, earning the attention of both. Nana piped in from the sidelines, witnessing everything that had happened earlier.

The two began to bicker again, resulting with the newcomer, whose name was Gil, to leave. Julius began to scold Romeo, "Talk to him later. I will not tolerate animosity in the field." Romeo muttered an okay in defeat, accepting the fact that there was no point in arguing with the captain. Julius then walked over to the God Arc storage area to prepare for the coming mission.

"Brynn, go find him and have him report here." He called out before entering, "He will be taking part in this mission." Brynn nodded and did as she had been told. She departed, making her way to the elevator checking each floor for the man.

She found herself entering the garden, sighing in relief as she breathed in the air that would always soothe her.

"Your favorite place, huh?" A deep voice had released her from her trance. Her eyes darted over to where the voice had come from, there in the gazebo stood the person she was looking for. She walked over to him and gave a small smile.

"Almost everyone's, I believe." She had to look up at thim while she spoke with him. The height difference had been evident, the blonde only stood at 5'6 while the male seemed to be towering at around 6'1. Even taller than her captain.

The male's blue eyes silently observed the girl's face when his face turned to one of surprise, "Oh, it's you." He scoffed before continuing, "Have they decided how to punish me?"

Brynn cocked an eyebrow before answering, "Well, we're going to be making ammends." Her statement caused him to smirk.

"Is that so?" He threw a rhetorical question before proceeding, "That Julius guy is the captain, right?" Brynn nodded. "I didn't expect him to be so prickly about it." He chuckled lightly.

"Well," Brynn began, formulating an answer, "It's difficult to have a team with members going at each other's throats. You did sock him in the face after all." She mentally rolled her eyes but kept a straight face.

"I did what I had to do, I won't apologize for that." Gil stubbornly replied, the dejected look coming from the girl's face caused him to sigh. "I am sorry for causing a lot of trouble so early, though. I'll…" He paused before averting his eyes, "talk to that Romeo kid later." Although he had been looking away, he noticed the other's face lit up.

"Alright!" She approved with a nod, "I'm Brynn Amaryllis Mercu, pleased to meet you." She gave a cheerful smile and slightly bowed her head, "Don't hesitate to approach me if you need anything or someone to talk to." She added, looking at him straight in the eyes. Caramel met blue.

"You're as prickly as the captain." The brown-haired male chuckled, "I'm Gilbert McLane, but Gil will do." He introduced himself with a genuine smile finally on his face. "I came from the Glasgow branch, a God Eater for 5 years now."

"I could say the same about being a God Eater for 5 years, but I was in a coma for 3 of those years, so I guess that it doesn't count." She joked earning another chuckle from the male.

"Guess not, nice meeting you."

"Likewise, we have a mission lined up for us, so we need to head out." Brynn suddenly recalled with a bit of panic after realizing how much time had passed. She and Gil made their way over to the God Arc holding area.

* * *

Gil picked up his charge spear, Heritage. Brynn did the same with Auricle, they placed it in their cases. They would be needing it as they would be using the jeep as transportation today. They made small talk as they proceeded to the departure area.

"So, you've been in Blood for 5 years?" Gil randomly asked, Brynn shook her head no in response.

"It's a long story." She sighed as they finally arrived, in front of them was the captain and the blonde buster-blader. "Let's save it for when you treat me lunch." She teased.

She made it her duty to have everyone treat her lunch at least once, or more than that. Gil looked at her strangely but merely nodded with a smile.

'What an interesting girl.' He thought to himself.

"Sorry we took so long." She apologized as she approached the captain, Julius gave her a curt nod, Romeo averted his eyes from where Gil was standing.

"No harm done, the transport system had just been finished preparing anyways." He looked towards the black van which had been customized with Fenrir's logo. "Anyone who wants to take the wheel?" He offered, he could drive it himself, but figured that someone else wanted to. He looked over at Brynn.

"I'll drive." Brynn immediately volunteered. She did not want to be in the middle of the two males who had been glaring daggers at each other non-stop. The pleading look on her face had sent the message loud and clear to Julius, which was why he asked in the first place.

He tossed the keys to her which she caught with ease, happily skipping to the driver's seat. She propped her God Arc's casing beside her for easy access. She stuffed the keys in order to start the vehicle, waiting for the others to let themselves in.

"All aboard?" She jokingly asked while looking at them through the mirror. The engine revved loudly as she began to navigate towards the given location, the Old Tranquil Temple, the ride would be a thirty minute one.

Julius, who was seated behind her, brought out the book that the female lent him. He couldn't help but ponder at how the girl was beginning to grow on him. He usually wouldn't allow himself to become too attached to his subordinates, even Romeo, who he had known longer. Brynn was someone he had only been socializing for a few weeks, but of course, he had known her for three years.

The ride was silent and tense, probably due to the two newly acquainted teammates, who were trying their best at holding back. Brynn's eyes remained fixed on the path, glancing at the mirror every once in awhile to see how her companions were doing, and to see whether Julius was still alive. Only the rev of the engine and the occasional flipping of Julius' book could be heard.

"Thank you for travelling, Mercu Transportation, we have arrived at the destination." Brynn cut through the silence, "Did that make any sense?" She asked upon realizing how silly her statement was. She parked the van in a 'safe' location, made her way out with her uncased God Arc in her hands.

The cold gust of wind nipped at her bare skin. She cursed herself for wearing a long blue coat and a white top which barely covered her stomach, and she paired it with Boost Hammer shorts as well. She reminded herself to pick a more appropriate outfit the next time that they have a mission here. Although God Eaters were supplied with the Bias Factor that supposingly helped regulate their body temperature, Brynn found herself vulnerable to the cold.

Of course she kept her mouth shut. She scanned the area while waiting for her companions to follow.

"We'll go in teams for the search, our target is a Gboro-Gboro." Julius announced the moment that they were all in one place, "Brynn and I will check areas C, G, I heading towards the main temple. Gil and Romeo," He turned to the two who were somewhat near each other, scowls on their faces, "You two will proceed to areas B, D, E, and F. Upon finding the Gboro, send up a converge signal." The all nodded.

"There are a couple of Ogretails roaming around, exterminate them as well, finish them off before proceeding to the primary target." Everyone listened carefully to his orders.

"Well then, let's begin." With that being said, they darted off in different directions.

Julius had his God Arc in its gun form, while Brynn had her scythe ready. They ran at the same pace towards the locations that the captain had stated earlier.

"You really paired them up." Brynn voiced out in amusement as she quickened her pace upon seeing a pair of Ogretails munching on some scraps. She swung her Scythe as hard as she could and manage to take them down. Tearing them into two with one strike, Julius fired at the one planning to sneak up on her.

"It would give them the opportunity to make ammends." He briefly explained, switching to his blade in order to help devour the cores.

Brynn, being cheeky and hyper as usual, playfully pouted, "So it's not because you want to spend time with me?" She innocently asked, the other snapped his head towards her direction with eyes wide in surprise, this caused her to chuckle. "Relax, Captain, I was kidding." The male looked away and began to walk towards their next location. Brynn trailed behind him, silently muttering about how she should have brought a camera. This caused the other to blush harder.

He didn't deny that there was some truth in what she just said. He didn't like the fact that the newcomer seemed to be 'close' to her already by the way he was looking at her earlier. He wasn't familiar with the emotion that was invading his thoughts. However, he knew that he couldn't let his personal feelings get in the way of their job, he couldn't hog her all to himself.

Although he found himself wanting to.

A loud roar had snapped him from his reverie and an array of bullets came from behind him. He quickly sprinted towards the crocodile looking aragami and began to slash through, dodging every once in a while.

A voice came through the comm, "Julius and Brynn are engaging with the primary target. Requesting for immediate assistance. Brynn, send up a flare!" She reminded which caused the girl to do so. The red smoke coming from the flare's bottom as it penetrated the sky. Another voice came through.

"Romeo here, currently dealing with Ogretails but will head over as soon as we finished." The line ended.

Julius continued to slash through, noticing another blade cutting through the beast's tail. It eventually cracked to reveal a bright orange color, as well as its teeth and dorsal fin, aggravating the aragami. It began firing pressured water, and flailed around in attempts to hit them. Julius checked the stats and noticed that Brynn's health level had gone low. He quickly switched to his gun and aimed at her, shooting a recovery bullet.

"Watch your health, Brynn!" He dodged a current of water being aimed at him, his own bullets had been joined by a couple more, not coming from his female companion. He noticed the arrival of the two other teammates.

Brynn devoured, successfully harnessing Aragami bullets, she grinned as a surge of power went through her, she switched to her gun and passed the bullets to her teammates. The action had engulfed them all in a bright yellow light. She began to fire the prototype bullets that she had created earlier, they turned out to be extremely effective. Their continuous assault had resulted with the aragami being successfully defeated.

"Nice job, everyone!" Brynn praised with a proud smile on her face, the small cuts that she had received earlier were beginning to heal. They all waited patiently as the captain extracted the core.

"Not bad, kid." Gil spoke to Romeo without looking at him, "I'm sorry for socking you in the face earlier." He whispered that last part, making it barely audible.

"What did you say?" Romeo mocked with a cheeky smile on his face, "I didn't quite hear you." With that, another 'less violent' banter began to take place. It carried on until the ride home, and even in Friar.

"Boys." Brynn rolled her eyes as she took the wheel. She was still somewhat pleased that the two were getting along better. And that there were no casualties. She couldn't help but smile in amusement as she listened to the two argue, she couldn't say that their captain was as amused however. He was in between the two.

It's miracle that he isn't deaf yet.


	6. Chapter 5

The days in Friar had been as normal as ever; new missions, new Aragami as each day would pass. The Blood Unit would go out in groups of four, occasionally five. Solo missions were still a normal thing for Brynn and check-ups had been occuring more often.

It began when her God Arc began to malfunction after devouring multiple times, she would only experience it during solo missions, this brought her worry and thus reported it to the blonde scientist.

"Do not tense up too much, Brynn. That machine isn't going to eat you up." She stared up at the ceiling of the machine as her body went through it, she heard her superior's voice which slightly calmed her down. She had been getting used to the out of place giggles and deep words and phrases she would use.

A light shined upon her body and scanned her from head to foot, she became conscious of her breathing and used it as a way to calm herself down. She managed to hear the soft humming of Rachel. A few seconds passed and the machine began to pull away.

"I'll have the results in a few minutes, do come up here so that I may explain my findings to you." Brynn sat up and immediately left the room.

She walked the empty halls lonely, Friar was even more quiet due to the fact that three of the Blood Unit members had been sent out to another branch to provide back-up. She would find herself participating in multiple missions with the recruit from Scotland. The male was constantly scolding her for not checking her health gauge from time to time, this resulted with him bringing multiple recovery items that he would use on her.

She had a feeling that the Captain had something to do with this, or not.

'Imagine if he finds out that my God Arc is malfunctioning.' She chuckles to herself imagining a fuming 6'1 male. She arrived in front of the laboratory and knocked on the door twice.

"Come in." She let herself in and saw the lame woman looking at the large screen in front of her. A distinctive smile on her face which sent shivers down her spine.

'This can't be good.'

"I've discovered the reason why your God Arc is acting up." She began not taking her eyes away from the screen, "You may have already noticed that you do not require your daily dose of injections that the other members of Blood have."

She then began to think deeply and had a eureka moment.

" _Hey, Brynn! We're heading to the lab, you wanna come with us?" Romeo pointed to his armlet, Brynn only cocked her head to the side befores shaking her head in a dismissive way._

" _I'll pass, my presence is not being requested anyways." Romeo and Nana looked at her with a bewildered look, both shrugging their shoulders and making their way to their said location._

" _Alright, see you later!" Nana said for the both of them before the elevator doors closed._

"I suppose that look on your face expresses that you have realized that." Came the doctor's soft voice which drove her away from her thoughts. The doctor did not wait for the girl to answer, "I assumed that you would have known, you produce your own Bias Factor. Quite fascinating." She looked back to the screen.

"My own Bias Factor?" She repeated with a cocked eyebrow, "How is that possible?" She added, her curiosity being driven even more, earning another giggle from the woman.

"The data here is limited, dear Brynn." This caused her shoulders to slump, "Perhaps we could find information regarding this matter in other documents. Going back," She cleared her throat before continuing. "You mentioned that your God Arc only acts up when you're alone? And when you devour?" She nods at this.

"When a God Eater devours, there is an increase in the Oracle Cells that are present in their system, this is what drives a God Eater into a Burst state." She began explaining as Brynn listened intently, "Usually, the God Eater is capable of containing these excess Oracle Cells in the body, I have assessed your stats during your solo missions. The amount of Oracle Cells in your body go beyond what is normal." Her eyes widen at this.

"Along with that, I also examined missions that Blood has with you, and those that they don't have you as a teammate." She pointed to a couple of graphs on the screen, graphs that Brynn could barely understand. "Whenever they have you as a teammate, the Oracle Cells that they collect have a 30% increase. Granting them more OP and longer Burst states." Another graph appeared on the screen which showed lower numbers and did not have her name.

"So you mean that those extra Oracle Cells that I gather-"

"Are being siphoned and put to good use by your teammates." The doctor continued her sentence with a smile on her face. Brynn hummed in response.

"Another blessing and curse at the same time, my sweet Amaryllis." The younger girl dismissed the name that she was called. Her thoughts began to drift away.

" _Eat this, Son of a -" Brynn summoned her predator form to bite into the Ogretail that was flailing helplessly on the floor. The familiar surge of energy ran through her veins. She lifted the scythe into the air to slash the nearly defeated bipedalled beast on the floor. Her eyes widened upon seeing her God Arc had not returned to its blade form._

" _What the-" She eyed the black mass which began to bite into the small fry once again. It continued until it began to tear away at the different parts of the aragami. Until it devoured the core._

 _She stayed as the mass of Oracle Cells from the Aragami began to spread through the air, the Ogretail dissolving into the ground._

" _Uh, you should turn back now?" She attempted to reach out to her God Arc which was still in its predator form. She sighed in annoyance and began to heave her artificial Aragami back to the extraction point._

" _Yo, Fran, requesting for pick up. And, uh… A mechanic would be great, my God Arc doesn't want to revert back to its blade form."_

She was snapped back to reality after that, the blonde scientist, looking at her with curiosity, "You may go now, Brynn. I believe that you have a mission with Gilbert and our visitor."

'Visitor?' Brynn bowed slightly and thanked the doctor, she made her way out and proceeded to the lobby area.

She was greeted by the empty lobby, her enhanced sense of hearing managed to pick up the typing that the operator did on her computer, she rushed her way up to greet the younger girl.

"Good afternoon, Fran." She gave a wide grin when a mug of coffee had been pushed in front of her, "Aw, you spoil me so much."

The girl happily took the mug of coffee and breathed it in. Due to a certain event that transpired between her and the Captain, her coffee rations had been limited. She was no longer allowed to have the drink everyday. At least the ones provided in the canteen.

"It's the least that I can do." The operator softly replied as she continued to type on her keyboard, preparing the information for the day's mission.

Fran was usually lonely, she was only approached whenever someone needed information, needed to prepare for a mission, or hold appointments with any of the superiors. The older girl had put effort into getting to know the operator and making time to converse with her whenever she was free.

"What are we up against today?" Brynn asked after she took a sip from the warm drink. Smiling as the sweetness travelled through her tastebuds.

"Your primary target will be an Ukonvasara that has been making the old factory a resting place, feeding on the multiple Ogretails in the area which are to be disposed of as well." She paused for awhile and turned the monitor to the awaiting God Eater. She peered at the screen and noticed the foreign name that was underneath hers and Gil's.

"Emil?" She spoke the name in an inquisitive manner. Not even bothering to say the last name as she wasn't sure how it was pronounced.

"You will meet him when he arrives." Fran informed her and looked at the time, "He will be here around 1500 hours. As soon as he arrives, you and Gil will depart." She nodded in response and checked the time. She grinned before putting down her empty mug.

"Thanks for the coffee, Fran! I'll have to check my loadout and mail. Let's talk when we get back." She turned on her heel and raised an arm in the air, serving as her goodbye.

* * *

From: Julius Visconti

Subject: Update

Message: I have been informed regarding your missions during the last 2 days. I commend you for your stellar performance, fast improvement, and adaptability. However, I was also informed that you have been neglecting your health during missions. Please do take caution, it would be detrimetal to the team if something were to happen to you. I will have Gil watch over you more closely during missions. We will be reporting back in Friar in 2 to 3 days.

Julius Visconti

Brynn grumbled before closing the mail and going throigh the other ones, she thought of what to reply, when a devious grin appeared on her lips.

To: Julius Visconti

Subject: -

Message: Alright, _dad._ See you soon!

Your loving daughter, Brynn Mercu Visconti(?)

She grinned and sent the message. Her face suddenly grew pale upon realizing that her message could send a different meaning.

"Damnit, Brynn. You idiot." She cursed herself before shrugging her shoulders, "He'll probably get it anyways." She then checked on her loadout, recovery items, and bullets. She checked the time and noticed that she still had half an hour before they would depart. She grinned at this and jumped on her bed.

"I'll just take a nap." She closed her eyes, snuggling close to her pillow, and soon after she had been consumed by sleep.

 _She was soon engulfed by darkness, unaware of where she was._

" _This power, it could be used for the … gis… je… " A voice of an older man flowed throughout the area._

" _How is this even possible?" Came another voice, the one earlier had seemingly disappeared. "This would relatively be impossible… Unless…" The voice faded away._

' _Unless what?' Brynn questioned and groaned in irritation upon not earning a response._

"Hey, wake up." Caramel eyes met bright blue ones. Brynn groaned and rolled over to the side, dismissing the towering figure.

"Five more minutes, mom." She slurred out as she buried her head into her pillow, which was quickly taken away from her.

"We'll be late if you keep this up." The tall man reminded her. She still ignored him. "I'm not giving you my share of chi-" He briskly moved back when the girl sat up, as quick as lightning.

"I'm good to go!" She stood up and ran out the door. Leaving the man in her room, who followed after her. A bothered look on his face.

"I guess she doesn't remember thrashing around in her sleep." He turned back to look at the disarrayed pillows and bed sheet. He closed the door and made his way to the elevator, where a smaller blonde was waiting for him.

"Hurry up, slowpoke." Brynn teased earning a serious look. They made their way to the lobby, Brynn leading the way to the counter. She was about to approach the operator when a loud voice had startled her.

"So you are the Blood Unit!" She jumped at the sight of a blonde man, wearing lilac colored clothes which reminded her of some rich person during the old times, something that she had seen in the Norn database. He was standing a few feet from her, twirling his long, out of place, lock of hair around his finger.

"You must be-"

"Ohoho! Please, relax. It's only natural to be nervous, but I assure you, all is well." He cut her off. He stopped twirling his hair when his eyes opened and he began making random gestures with his hand. "Now that I'm here, you need never fear again!" Both Gil and Brynn stared at him with blank looks on their faces.

"Oh!" He began again, not giving them the chance to speak, "Forgive my dreadful manners." He continued twirling his hair again. "A knight in service of the Far East Branch's glorious 1st Unit Fighters. I am Emil von Strasbourg."

"Nice." Gil said, before the obnoxious man could say anything else. "Good seeing you, pal." Brynn chuckled silently at what her companion said.

"Brynn Amaryllis Mercu," She was stuck her hand out, in order to shake his, which he rejected as he continued to drone on.

"Yes, this Friar is truly a majestic vessel." She dropped her hand and noticed her companion chuckle as well. "Is it not? Impressive, yet tasteful." He closed his fist and pulled it down. "Yet beyond the horizon the Aragami scourge awaits, plotting to hinder this vessel's blessed voyage."

'Blessed, huh.'

"You are undoubtedly gripped by fear. Yet, I say unto thee: Take courage, friends, for I am here."

'Fear of you, maybe.' Brynn couldn't help but cock an eyebrow at the other's antics. He remained posed in a dramatic manner as he finished his monologue. He looked towards them, with a serious and determined look on his face, Brynn coughed to mask her laughter.

"I shall stand firm and defend you." He wasn't finished, he went back to twirling his hair with his gloved hand, "You shall know no fear whilst beside me."

Brynn gave a slight bow with her arm on her stomach, "Well then, most wondrous knight, t's truly a most wondrous honour to has't thee square by our side." She looked up and saw the pleased look on the other's face, she grinned, wanting to laugh but kept up the act.

"Don't be shy, my friend! It is my sworn duty to help the weak." An invisible vein throbbed on both of their heads, "That is the truth of Chivalry." Brynn then walked towards the storage area, knowing that if she didn't do anything, they would never finish conversing here.

"Well then, knight in shining armor," It was Gil's turn to mock the oblivious male, "We need to get started with our mission." His gruff voice echoed throughout the empty lobby as he followed the female. The newcomer rushed to follow behind them.

* * *

The Ukonvasara managed to get away a few minutes before it would have met its demise. The three God Eaters decided to split up. After circling the entire radioactive swamp, the members of Blood had managed to run into one another.

"Any signs?" The taller one asked, shouldering his spear. Before Brynn could answer, a loud battle cry managed to echo from a distance.

"That." The duo ran towards the direction of the sound, they stopped a short distance from where the import they teamed up with was facing the nearly-defeated Aragami.

The male had skid away after dodging an attack coming from the alligator. "Creature of darkness!" He slowly stood up and got into a fighting stance. "I, Emil von Strasbourg, will banish you to where you came!" He swung his hammer, ready to land a hit, but the beast spun around and hit him once again. He struggled to get up, sprouting more nonsense.

"All right, you shall now get a taste of my true strength!" He charged again and was about to slam the Ukonvasara to the ground, but it spun around in perfect timing, knocking him away.

"What the hell?" Gil said in frustration, "Let's go take care of that thing." He had been stopped from advancing when an arm hand blocked him. He turned to see Brynn looking intently at what was happening.

"Ugh, whatever." He moved backwards and continued to watch what was happening, "You're just going to fuel his pride if he does manage to breakthrough." Brynn shrugged her shoulders and proceeded to watch.

Emil panted heavily, his God Arc still ready in his arms, "Every battle a God Eater faces is a noble quest!" He managed to catch his breath, "In this world drowning in darkness, the God Eaters bring the shining ray of hope to humanity!" He said a few more lines before he let out a large battle cry then charged. He jumped into the air and slammed his hammer into the Ukonvasara who had not dodged in time. It had been impaled into the ground, the hammer leaving a mark on its head.

The male jumped swiftly to the side with a victorious smile on his face.

"Heh." Gil chuckled in amusement, "Would you look at that, the idiot actually did it." He casually swung his spear over his shoulder before turning his back. "Go extract the core, I'll call for extraction."

* * *

Three days passed and the team of three had been going on various missions together, with high rates of success that had granted them higher rewards and more access to difficult missions. The other members of Blood would be returning and they would go out on a 6 man mission involving 2 Kongous and multiple Zygotes.

Brynn leaned against the tree, her eyes tightly shut when she heard the elevator doors open. She had been busy enjoying the sunlight as there was no sign of Red Nimbus that day. She opened one eye and took in the familiar figure approaching her.

"Hello, Captain." She greeted with a yawn, opening both eyes after that and she stretched. The man gave a small smile before leaning against the tree as well. Feeling the roughness of the bark against his clothes.

"Hello, Brynn." He replied, "I again would like to commend you for your performance during the last few days." He said with pride.

"Thank you, Captain." She paused for a while, blinking rapidly in order to wake herself up, she made a mental note to stop sleeping so often. "You can reward me by treating me dinner when we get back." She joked earning a chuckle from the other.

"That I believe, is becoming a routine for us." He hummed upon realizing the truth. The girl had been constantly pestering him about food, it was no wonder that he was running out of credits.

"You never say no anyways." She softly replied and continued to shut her eyes, the silence began to consume them.

"How was the other branch?" She inquired after finally coming to her senses.

"Small compared to Friar and the front lines. They had limited God Eaters and most of them being first generation ones." He answered as the two continued to bask in the silence and the calm that the garden provided. Brynn was someone that Julius wouldn't mind speaking with, despite the fact that he was a distant person. However, even the silence didn't face the two. Before they could start another conversation, a loud high-pitched voice had earned their attention.

"Captain Julius! Brynn! It's time to headout." By the elevator stood a black-haired girl who was waving her hands in the air in a rapid manner. Brynn groaned and stood up, dusting the dirt that had been attached to her clothes. She stuck a hand out for Julius to assist him in getting up. The moment that he grabbed it, a quick blur passed through her vision.

" _My son, we'll be back before you know it." Came a woman's voice._

" _Next time, we'll bring you with us so that you could meet their child. She's about the same age as you."_

Brynn blinked rapidly, still trying to process what she just heard, Julius had a baffled look on his face which matched her own. When he stood up, he let go immediately and they began to walk towards Nana who had been watching the two from afar.

They arrived at the departure area, mostly listening to Nana's babbling about what had occurred during the days that they were gone. The blonde half-listened as they walked on.

"Took you long enough." Gil remarked upon noticing the arrival of the other three, he had been stuck with two males that contradicted his personality, it didn't amuse him at all.

"I'm getting pumped for our mission!" Romeo exclaimed as he jumped into the helicopter. Followed by the others who did so with less fervor. The helicopter ride was silent most of the way. Each taking their own parts to stay in. Brynn was sitting by the open door of the helicopter, her knees brought up to her chin as she stared out.

Julius was glancing at her every once in awhile, he had been working on mission reports on the tablet that he brought. Although he preferred his laptop or terminal, the tablet was more convenient when he was travelling. Unfortunately, his numerous glances had not gone unnoticed by the cheerful black-haired and gold-haired guo. They gave each other knowing and mischievous looks.

* * *

The mission ended as soon as they arrived. The team had been split into 2; Gil, Brynn and Nana in the first team; Romeo, Julius and Emil in the second. They had been ordered by the captain to search around the area after they had defeated the two Kongous. They made fast progress, eliminating the two ape-like aragami with stellar time.

They were just about to regroup. Brynn had just walked out of the observatory area, when a loud shout stopped her in her tracks.

"What the fuck is this now?" She turned to the direction of the screen which came from the cliff area of the city.

"Attention! My God Arc isn't working!" Emil came out with a large beast, wolf-like in appearance, chasing after him. It knocked him other with it's armored paw, making him skid away and hit the wall. The Aragami jumped towards Brynn swiping her and knocking her away.

"What the hell are you?" She angrily cursed and glared angrily at the creature. Her caramel eyes met yellow. She felt a sudden surge of adrenaline rush through her veins.

 _Blood._

Her vision began to dim, she began readying her scythe not able to control her own movements, however, she could feel the power that was going to be released in that strike.

 _Blood._

Her vision had blotches of red and black, allowing her only to see the Aragami in front of her, the blade of her scythe being engulfed in red and black aura.

"Get ready for this you son of a-!" She screamed loudly earning the attention of her teammates.

"What the-?"

"It's just like the captains!"

"Observe, the Blood power has finally awakened."

 _Blood. Blood. Blood._ _ **Blood.**_

She screamed once more and swung Auricle with as much force as her body could, successfully knocking the beast off its feet and scarring its left eye. It remained on the ground for a few more seconds before making its way to its attacker. Brynn was panting heavily, slumped over but got Auricle ready. She attempted to raise her arms to attack once again, but the Aragami had been rained with bullets keeping it at bay. Her teammates had stood in front of her to protect her. The beast roared one last time, jumping towards the highest building in order to escape.

It glowered, its eye never letting Brynn out of his sight. She glared back before it sauntered away, not to be seen by them anymore.

Brynn groaned and slumped over, using Auricle as her support. She felt a hand on her back, coaxing her to relax. Her legs gave in due to the amount of energy that she had exerted earlier. "You did well, Vice Captain, that beast was strong." Came Julius' comforting voice, she did not have the strength to react to the title that he had given her.

"Captain?" She managed to call out, her vision beginning to dim. They all surrounded her, Julius supporting her to stand up, making her use his shoulder as support. "I don't think that I can-" Her body nearly hit the ground, if it weren't for the captain who had foreseen the action.

The male blonde sighed before carrying the girl in a way that he had one arm that supported her neck while the other was underneath her legs. He looked down with concern at the unconscious girl, as did the others who neared them. Nana was the first one to speak up.

"Captain, will she be alright?" She was worried about her friend, Julius nodded in response and looked at them.

"Yes, she will be." He took in the girl's serene face once again before looking towards the tallest in the group, "She needs to rest, have Fran send in our pick up and don't forget about Emil. He must have been knocked out from the impact." He ordered and looked over to Romeo, "Take her God Arc with you." Romeo nodded in response and was about to speak up, "I have specialised gloves in my pocket."

Upon the orders being completed, they walked over to the extraction point, "I'm certain that it will be you to treat us lunch after that promotion."


	7. Chapter 6

Blood managed to arrive back in Friar in one piece, they fortunately had not run into casualties during the journey back to the base. The girl had been asleep the entire time who was being watched over by Gil and Nana. Julius had brought the out cold girl to her room after earning the approval of their surrogate mother.

" _She is stable, there is no need for her to remain in the sick bay." Rachel fave a small smile as she looked away from the computer to the extremely worried male. He had stood beside the passed out girl who was currently on the room's couch. She was occasionally grumbling in her sleep and twitching. Rachel couldn't help but giggle upon seeing how Julius would react to the smallest movement, which earned a quizzical look from him._

" _I can see that you have grown quite fond of her, Julius." She remarked with a hand gesturing over to the sleeping girl. "Does she know that you-" Julius shook his head no before the girl could continue the rest of her sentence, "Well, do let her know soon. Take her to her quarters. She will be more comfortable there."_

The blonde male had just finished submitting the reports to Fran who had asked about Brynn's condition. He reassured her and made his way to the elevator, when a couple of footsteps from behind had earned his attention.

"I did not expect them to recruit you here so soon. I suppose that you are no longer her assistant?" He made turn and had been met with a silver-haired girl whose face held no expression.

"Indeed. I will be working with Blood Unit as of today." Her voice mirrored her expression. She bowed slightly, "I look forward to working with you again."

* * *

Brynn's eyes opened, slowly adjusting to the light. She groaned as she felt her muscles become unresponsive at her attempt to move them. She felt like those that ended up stuck on their backs and struggled to get up. After a couple more attempts, she managed to sit herself up and scooted over the edge of the bed.

'Bath. I need a bath.' She thought to herself as she stretched her sore muscles.

She sluggishly got her things ready and limped over to the bathroom, which fortunately was vacant. She hummed to herself, stripping away her night clothes, which she didn't remember changing into, and allowed the cold water to soothe the overworked muscles. She took her time under the cold water as she pondered over what happened,

"Blood power, huh?" She muttered while putting on her new set of clothes and dried her platinum coloured locks. What happened yesterday began to rush through her head.

'He's going to tease me that I've gained weight again.' She huffed and proceeded to make her way towards the room.

She began to take note how empty and quiet the housing wing was. Usually, one would hear the clashing of pans in Nana's rooms as she tried making a sandwich (she envied the fact that the other's room had a kitchen while hers didn't have one.), soft pattering of feet coming from Julius' room or the flipping of book pages, guitar strums vibrating from the Gil's room and audio sounds coming from the blonde Italian's room.

'Wait, aren't both Julius and Romeo Italian?' The random thought crossed her mind the moment that she stepped into her own room. A blue note that was on her desk had caught her attention.

'That wasn't there earlier.' She mused and picked it up, reading it to herself, the handwriting was in cursive, neat and small.

Proceed to the laboratory. We will be anticipating your arrival. There are some things to be discussed. Her blood ran cold imagining the worst. She immediately rushed towards the lab knocking on the door softly the moment that she arrived.

"Come in."

She stepped inside the room and was met with all the members of Blood, Rachel and a silver-haired girl, "I apologize for taking so long." She bowed in apology.

"Do not fret, child." Came the scientist's whimsical voice. "You are just on time. Come." She gestured to the small circle that the group formed, she walked over and stood beside Gil who had turned his attention back to the captain, she did the same.

"I would like to commend all of you for the successful mission yesterday." She was asleep for the entire day? "Despite the appearance of a Psion, we all managed to cause it to retreat without any casualties." Julius paused to glance at Brynn. "Before all that, I would like to introduce all of you to our newest addition to Blood." He nodded towards the silver-haired girl who gave a slight bow.

"I am Ciel Alençon." Her blank expression had not changed as she spoke, "I was raised in Magnolia Compass and had been trained to handle various weapons and studied various military tactics and strategies." She bowed once again, "I hope to be able to assist all of you and work with all of you."

Brynn couldn't help but wonder why most of their members came from the Magnolia Compass place. She would ask one of them later. Her eyes met Ciel's which widened the moment that they did.

"Is there anything troubling you, Ciel?" Julius asked, causing the other to slightly flinch before she turned back to her nonchalant demeanor. She shook her head no thus Julius did not press any further. He turned back to the group.

"Proceeding to our main matter, as of this moment, the position of Vice Captain will be assigned to Brynn Amaryllis Mercu. Upon considering her stellar performance and her awakening of Blood Power, she is deemed worthy of earning the position." Happy squeals and congratulatory statements had showered the platinum-haired girl who had a bewildered look on her face.

"Uh… I will do my best to meet your expectations." She said to them with a small smile. Although it did not mask the nervousness that could be seen by the captain.

"You have us, Brynn, do not pressure yourself too much." He reassured her which caused her to ease up a bit. She gave him a sincere smile.

"This means one thing!" Came Romeo's voice, prompting all of them to look towards him, all had noticed the cheeky smile that he had. "Brynn will be cooking for us!" They all cheered and agreed with what he said.

"That's a great idea!" Nana pitched in with a dreamy look in her eyes.

Gil chuckled before he added, "For once, I have to agree with this idiot. Friar's food is good, but Brynn's cooking is really something else." Brynn blushed at this, she wasn't used to praises but it did make her happy.

She did not notice the way that Julius looked at Gil, however. The taller one noticed and cocked an eyebrow at his captain who looked back at the newly appointed vice captain.

"That would be nice if you could make that happen, Brynn. I have nothing negative to say about your cooking and baking."

The horrified look on Brynn's face had faded away and she nodded, "Very well." She clasped her hands together, "What should we be having later then?" She asked all of them which earned her multiple responses.

Romeo had pumped his fist and neared the girl, causing her to move backward, "Italian!"

'Figures.' She thought to herself.

Nana stomped in, making the space between her and Brynn disappear, "It has to be Japanese! She made Italian last time!" She opposed with her pink eyes burning daggers into Romeo's blue eyes. Brynn slid away, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire.

"So? It doesn't mean that she can't make it again!" He countered, the two continued to bicker while all of them watched with amusement.

Brynn chuckled and made her way over to the door, she turned back towards the captain who had been looking at her escape, "I assume that we won't be heading out because of the red rain? If you don't mind, I'll head over to the kitchen to prepare." He nodded which she used as a reason to leave the room, bowing to Rachel before she left.

Julius turned to the others, watching as Gil managed to stop the two from bickering before he dismissed them all. The rest of the Blood members made their way outside to do whatever they want for the rest of the day. In the laboratory, only the Julius, Ciel, and Rachel remained.

"Julius, I would like to discuss things with Ciel. You may go." She gently told him and turned to the 16 year old. Julius nodded in response and excused himself. He made his way towards his room to rest and check his mail. It had been lighting up earlier but he didn't get the chance to check it. He was met with his slightly organized room and made his way to the terminal.

" _Julius~" Came Brynn's excited voice through the door, "Can I come in?" The man couldn't help but cock an eyebrow knowing that the girl wouldn't see him._

" _Come in." He said without looking up from his laptop. The door swung open to reveal the girl who had a wide smile on her face. His blood ran cold, he had a feeling that she was plotting something._

" _Did Fran give you coffee again?" He asked as he continued to type. He felt the girl's presence beside him._

" _Uh… Maybe." She hesitantly answered before changing the topic, "Can I borrow your laptop?" She asked quickly earning a quizzical look from the captain._

" _For what reason, Brynn?" He asked, momentarily stopping from typing as he looked at the girl._

" _Research purposes." The laptop had been grabbed from him and the girl was out of the room in a flash, "Thanks, Julius!" Before he could protest, the girl was out of his sight._

"I should have gotten my laptop back." He mumbled as he checked his mail, he began to wonder why he didn't get it back before they headed out for the other branch. He had to use the branch's terminal which wasn't as advanced as the one that they had in Friar.

"That girl." He mused as he read through the mail which came from the Far East Branch Director, one that he had met in a summit that happened a year ago.

From: Paylor Sakaki, Far East Branch

Subject: Blood Unit

Message: Requesting for support from Friar's Blood Unit. Multiple Psions are flocking around the branch's premises. The 2nd generation and 1st generation God Eaters are not capable of engaging with the Aragami as upgrades are still being conducted.

He quickly read through the rest of the email before sending it to his surrogate mother. He sighed, recalling the files that he was trying to access. Still unsuccessful in doing so.

"What if…" An idea ran through his head as he quickly looked up the Far East branch mission log. He scrolled through until he reached the documents that were of 3 years ago. Looking through the names that were included in each title.

One log, which was labelled as successful but was grayed, caught his attention. It only contained the date, location and name of the members. Instead of a name that was written on the topmost slot, the word 'deceased' was in the place. A frown finding its way to his lips as confusion continued to pester his thoughts.

* * *

The smell of delicious food wafted through out the air. Drawing the attention of the members of Blood who had gathered around the cafeteria. It had been 3 hours since they had their impromptu meeting and their stomachs had brought them to the dining area.

"I'm starving!" Nana whined as she took a seat beside Ciel. The silver-haired girl was busying herself with a tablet which had different notes and tabs open. "I haven't had Brynn's cooking in awhile." She added with a dreamy-look on her face. The same look that she would have whenever she would talk about her Oden sandwich.

Romeo sat across from her, "She always claims that she's too tired whenever I ask her." He stretched his body across the table to reach his black-haired comrade, he whispered into her ear, "But I bet you if Captain were to ask, I'm sure that it would be a different story." They both snickered at the statement but stopped the moment that Julius and Gil approached the table, taking their respective seats.

"She made lasagna for me and the other idiot," He was referring to Emil who had gone back to the Far East, "while you guys were out." Gil earned a couple of glares, a very subtle one from the team's captain. Ciel could only stare in wonder, was the vice captain's cooking really that good?

Dinners at Friar usually began at 8 in the evening, due to it only being 6 in the evening, they had the entire cafeteria to themselves. The kitchen door swung open with a kick, revealing the blonde girl who was balancing plates and dishes. She made her way to the table with a smile on her face as the smell intensified.

"Sorry that it took so long!" Brynn apologized as she set the dishes down around the table. Risotto, an arrangement of different sushi, Canelloni, and Roast Beef. A feast of different cuisines had filled their vision. She took her own seat between Gil and Julius before announcing, "Let's dig in!" The members of Blood began to fill their plates and ate like they haven't eaten in days.

"Dis is zo good, Brynn!" Nana praised with food stuffed inside her mouth. The others nodded in agreement.

"Maybe if we weren't born in this age, you could have had your own restaurant." Romeo chimed in after helping himself to another serving of pasta. "But then again, we probably wouldn't have been able to try your cooking for free."

Julius was the next to speak up, the sad look on his face had not gone unnoticed. "I haven't had food this good since I was a child." His smile was gentle but she could see the sorrow in his eyes. She gave him a quick look of worry before she placed a hand on his knee and squeezed it softly.

"Where did you learn how to cook like this, Vice Captain?" Ciel, who had been silent the entire time finally spoke up, "If I may ask." She added after she looked from her plate just to look at the girl in question.

Brynn bit her lower lip in thought, 'Where did I learn?' She thought as hard as she could but it was all to no avail, she turned back to Ciel who had been patiently waiting.

"I can't actually remember how and where I learned?" She began as all of Blood was looking at her curiously, "It just comes naturally when I'm in the kitchen. I saw some recipes in Norn as well." Her eyes lit up then she suddenly stood up and darted towards the kitchen. They all looked towards the kitchen door waiting for her to emerge.

She came out again after a couple of seconds with a tray in her hands. She set the tray down on the middle of the table, the smell of something sweet and fruity made itself known as they looked at the creamy white and yellow dessert.

"For dessert, Mango Fridge Cake. I found some graham crackers, didn't know that we still have that here." They all stared and began to take their share.

"How did you get your hands on mangoes, beef, and fish?" Gil asked after taking a bite, "I didn't know that mangoes were still available."

"Oh, that wasn't beef, that was Ogretail." Their eyes widened which earned her a hearty laugh, "I wish that I had a camera, you should have all seen your faces." She buckled over laughing as they all glared at her. She managed to catch her breath after a few seconds.

"Friar gets rations of farmed beef along with the chicken and fish. I asked if I could have some. Mangoes, you can get them in the Abandoned City. There are still some trees in the deeper parts." Her explanation reached their ears while they consumed the dessert.

"Abandoned City?" Nana inquired after swallowing the food, there was some cream on her lower lip, "I've never seen them before. When did you find time to-"

"Solo missions, remember?" The platinum haired one quickly responded, a grin playing on her face. She usually had an hour before extraction so she would go around alone and search for materials. Materials to upgrade her God Arc and some other things that may be of use to her. She would occasionally find fruit and other consumable things that she didn't know existed. Those things that she didn't need, were sold to the mercenaries and to the kitchen staff who would use the things that she found.

After their dinner, they migrated to Blood's common room which was rarely used. The cafeteria had began to accept other staff and it was getting quite crowded.

"Wait, I'll just give Fran some food and I'll be back." Brynn informed them before rushing out the door with a container of food in her hands. She ran towards the lobby and sighed in relief upon seeing that Fran's shift wasn't done yet.

"Yo, Fran!" She greeted with a grin on her face, she placed the container on the counter and pushed it towards the operator, "Thought that you might be hungry, so…" She trailed off, the grin still not fading from her face as the other smiled in appreciation.

"Thank you, Brynn. I heard that you've been promoted. Congratulations." She took the container and opened it, sniffing it before sighing in happiness, "You really hold on to your promises."

"Of course!" Brynn replied as she ran a hand through her platinum colored hair, "Well, I've got to go! I'll see you tomorrow, Fran!" She quickly turned on her heel waving her hand in the air.

Fran watched the retreating figure with a small smile on her face as she turned back to the computer screen. She was filing reports as missions weren't usually conducted at night and no one was allowed to go outside because of the Red Rain. A small electronic letter appeared on the screen which she opened to see that it had come from the girl from earlier.

From: Brynn Amaryllis Mercu

Subject: Rations

Message: Hope that you don't mind me getting your beer rations. You are underaged after all! Thank you~ ^_^

She sighed at this before continuing to type away, "I smell trouble brewing."

* * *

Brynn walked towards the common room with cans in her arms and a wide malicious smile on her lips. She kicked the door open and skipped inside, distributing the beer to everyone, except for Ciel who was underaged.

She walked towards and handed him a bottle, he politely declined, "Oh come on, it's just today." He cocked an eyebrow at her, still unconvinced as he leaned against the couch. "I'll give you back your laptop." That convinced him and he hesitantly got the can from the girl. She sat beside him and opened her own can taking a sip.

Julius did the same, the bitterness of the liquid travelled through his mouth and down his throat. He stopped himself from making a face as he stared at the can. Despite being 20 years of age, he didn't drink. It's not that he didn't want to, he just never found the time and didn't find any reason to do so.

"I thought that they didn't issue beer rations to minors?" Romeo questioned while holding a beer can in each hand, he hadn't opened it yet and was debating on giving it to Gil who was calmly drinking his. He had two since Nana shoved one to him as she preferred eating.

Brynn's face twisted to one that had been offended, she glared at the male who was speaking to her, "Just because I'm small, it doesn't mean that I'm a minor." She huffed, although, her statement wasn't exactly true. After all, she was the tallest female in the group.

"I've been sleeping for 3 years… So that means… I'm already 18." She mused, she was already an adult. She felt like it was some cheat as she skipped 3 years of being a minor.

"You could be 17." Gil piped in from the corner before taking a sip from his can, "Birthday?" This caused the girl to pause.

"It has already passed." She took a sip from her can. "August 12." It was already November, so that did make her previous words true.

"So this celebration could serve as your birthday, promotion and Ciel's arrival." Nana suggested with food stuffed in her mouth. Brynn chuckled as she took a graham cracker from the pile and bit into it. She turned to her side and saw that Julius had a blank look on his face and his can was empty.

"Did you chug that down, Captain?" She asked in a concerned manner, Julius blinked a bit before nodding slowly. Wincing as a sharp pain went through his head.

"Wasn't… I supposed to?" He slurred, his eyes were a bit blurry and everything was spinning. He could make out the disapproving look on Brynn's face while she shook her head no. "Forgive me, I had no idea."

Brynn looked towards the other members who were still busy enjoying, "I'll take Julius back to the room, he may have drank his too quickly." The ochre haired man groaned as he leaned against the girl. Brynn assisted him by wrapping one of his arms behind her neck and she wrapped her arm around his waist. She was short so she couldn't reach higher than that with their position. Gil was about to walk over but she stopped him, "Gil, it's fine. Stay and have fun. I'll be back." He nodded before leaning back to his spot and taking his beer can in his hands once again.

The other members of Blood watched as the two figures retreated out the door, they were in silence. Only the music blaring from the speakers could be heard.

"I ship."

* * *

The two managed to arrive at the Captain's room in one piece, without vomit or anyone falling over. Brynn opened the door and set the tall man into his bed without much difficulty.

"I can't believe… you convinced me to drink." He slurred as he sank into his blanket. The newly appointed vice captain chuckled softly in response. But couldn't help but wonder why he was already hung over. She was looking forward to see a hyperactive Julius.

That didn't happen however. She was disappointed.

"Well, you never say no anyways." She teased before sitting down beside him, the bed sinking a bit under her weight. "We need to work on your tolerance." This elicited another groan from the male who had his eyes tightly shut.

"It's your fault…" She chuckled again.

"My fault that?"

"I can't say no." She couldn't help but wonder what he was trying to say. She wanted to ask but noticed that the other was struggling to stay awake. She assumed that he was asleep so she slowly stood up, a hand grabbed hers.

"Wait…" Came Julius' soft and groggy voice. "Stay a bit longer. Let's talk." Brynn hesitated but shifted back to where she was previously sitting.

"Are you sure, Julius? You may say things that you'll regret." She joked as she ran a hand through his hair. She quickly drew her hand back, 'Why the fuck did I do that?'

"I won't remember anyways." Julius replied.

'Hmm… True.'

"When I first saw you awake… I was thrilled to see that weren't bedridden." She lifted an eyebrow at what he was saying. "I was waiting for you to wake up." Her breath hitched her throat as her eyes widened. "I confided in you, even though you were unconscious. You were the only person that I could actually talk to." He chuckled weakly as his voice trailed off.

Brynn smiled at the sleeping figure, his face was peaceful and he obviously wouldn't be waking up after a while. She placed her hand on his.

 _The chopper's blades spun noisily in the air as her eyes opened, hers were met with grey colored ones that held worry and panic._

" _So you're awake. Rest a bit more, we're nearing our destination." It was Julius, she complied and closed her eyes._

"So you saved me…" She was in shock after the memory faded away. "Thank you…" She squeezed his hand before making her way out. She closed the lights and peeked at the captain's sleeping figure before walking out.

"I owe you my life."


	8. Chapter 7

Brynn's slow footsteps echoed throughout the hallway. It was early morning, the windows had allowed a bit of sunlight to come in indicating that the Red Rain had concluded. She grasped a tray which had a glass of water, food, and pills.

She decided to bring the captain some medicine as she felt responsible for his hangover, he hadn't emerged from his room since then and even skipped breakfast. Luckily, the platinum-haired one managed to sneak food from the cafeteria.

Her footsteps came to an end when she reached his door, it was the room in the middle of the hallway. She knocked on the door gently, managing to balance the tray with one hand before she spoke gently, "Julius? You up? I'm coming in." She opened the door and was met with silence and an empty room.

She heard the water in the bathroom running, she figured that he was attempting to get rid of his headache with a bath. Placing the tray down on the table the female looked around the room in curiosity as thoughts began to run through her head. She bitterly thought that he was the only one that had his own bathroom.

Did that entail her one since she did become Vice Captain recently? She shook her head to dismiss the thought, and remembered the reason why she was here. She needed to talk to him.

Brynn looked towards the window which showed a fake image of the outside. Each member could choose what view they wanted to have in whatever rooms they occupied. The room that she was currently in had a vast field that had multiple flowers that seemed similar to the ones that they had in the garden. The water stopped running and the door opened, she spun around and nearly fainted at what she saw.

"Ah, J-julius! I'm sorry, I just brought you your food but I-I'll go now!" Her face turned bright red upon seeing the male who had a towel wrapped around his waist leaving his torso bare. He was drying his hair without another towel. She gulped upon seeing the Captain's abs that seemed sculpted from marble. She cursed upon realizing that she was staring at the male's muscular and lean frame. She failed to notice the amused look playing on the other's features as she attempted to walk past him.

She was a few feet away from the door when the figure that she was escaping from had suddenly appeared in front of her. Her eyes were met with his bare skin and she inhaled his scent.

'He smells like lavender.' She thought and couldn't help but think how feminine that seemed. She looked up and saw how droplets of water trickled down his face and the serious look the older one had.

"I truly appreciate your efforts to bring me food, Vice Captain." he gave a reassuring smile. "Give me a few moments to get dressed. I suppose that you stayed to discuss things with me and not to see me partially naked?"

'Who would have thought that for someone so serious, he enjoys other's dismay.' She thought to herself in amusement then found a smirk finding a way to her lips. The flustered state that she was in earlier had disappeared.

"And if I did?" It was the male's turn to blush and she giggled. She began to think that despite him being serious, he was easily flustered and naive as well.

"It was a joke, Captain Visconti." Too bad that she was better at getting on other's nerves.

" _Pssst. Pssst." The noise was coming from her as she faced a blue figure. "PSSSST!" The blue figure still ignored her._

" _VAJRA!" She screamed causing the blue figure to spin around, the huge blade that he was shouldering was now ready. She laughed boisterously and buckled over._

" _Your face was too much to handle!" She remarked through the giggles, she swore that she heard her companion growl._

" _I'll feed you to the damn Vajras, fucking idiot."_

She blinked and attempted to remember who that figure clad in blue was. Julius had emerged from the bathroom, now dressed and decent, and made his way to Brynn who gave a small smile in recognition.

"What was it that you wanted to discuss about, Vice Captain?"

The girl bit her lower bit and her eyebrows knitted together in response to the title. "That." Julius looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"I mean… Why me?" She asked in the most simplified way. Julius caught on and gave a small smile that reached his grey colored eyes. He ran a hand through his hair before answering.

"Why not? I believe, and everyone else believes that you are more than qualified for this position." The blonde male said with a small smile on his face. Despite him trying to put her at ease, it didn't dispel her own doubts.

She was afraid and worried. What if she couldn't meet their expectations. She couldn't fulfill her duties and couldn't protect her teammates. Heck, she knew that being vice captain meant that she had to make reports. Something that she wasn't good at, especially if in the future, you'll put hers beside the captain it will definitely stick out and look horrible to put it short.

 _Brynn's Mission Report Draft_

 _Mission Report:_

 _Mission Name: Bookworm? Library worm? (Got to ask Fran.)_

 _Date: ? NO ONE WANTS TO DATE ME_

 _Participants: Me|_

 _Participants: M|_

 _Participants: Brynn Amaryllis Mercu_

 _Targets: Chi-Yu|_

 _Targets: Chi-Y|_

 _Targets: Chi-You_

 _Report: Mission was a success, managed to defeat the Chi-You within 10 minutes and core was extracted._

 _Brynn's Mission Report (After Julius edited it.)_

 _Mission Name: Bookworm_

 _Date: 11/22_

 _Participants: Brynn Amaryllis Mercu_

 _Targets:_ _ **Chi-You**_ _, Ogretail_

 _Report: Bookworm was a successful solo-mission that had resulted with no major injuries and casualties. Goals have been met in exactly 9 minutes and 43 seconds. Other nearby aragami had been exterminated as well. All cores have been collected, (1 Chi-You's and 7 Ogretails')_

She wasn't very good with her words. Especially since she was put in a unit where the captain was a modern Shakespeare (not like the annoying Emil who thankfully went back to the Far East.)

Finally finding her voice, she answered, voicing out the thoughts that troubled her, "I can't even take care of myself, I often have to drag you all around. What if-"

"Those are all what ifs, Vice Captain. Do not overlook the fact that we are a team. Blood is one. We do not expect you to carry the burdens alone. As for your weaknesses. No one is pardoned from having weakness. As a team, there is a sense of equilibrium. Each members fills in what the other doesn't have." Brynn felt his hand reach her shoulder as he squeezed it gently, a sense of tranquility washed over her.

" _Congratulations, Julius." Came the voice of Rachel, she could not see a thing however. "You are the first person to become compatible with the P66 Bias Factor and the foundation of the Blood Special Forces."_

She gave a sincere smile after the memory faded away, Julius had more weight on his shoulders and she should be the one to at least try to lessen that weight. The warmth radiating from his hand had dispersed but a warm smile played on his lips. She found it strange how every time they would come in contact, she would discover something new about him. Of course, they never talked about it in person.

'Does that mean that he's learning things about my past?' She couldn't help but wonder.

"Alright, Captain." She softly began, her caramel colored eyes met with his grey ones. "Thank you for listening to me and making me feel more at ease."

"It's fine, Brynn. Please don't keep things to yourself. We're all here for you."

'I suppose that this is the least that I could do.'

* * *

"Vice Captain, do you have a few moments to spare?" Brynn looked up from the book that she was reading, she found it in the abandoned city, there happened to be a few books that were still readable and were actually worth reading. Her lips stretched upwards.

"Of course." Patting the seat beside her, Ciel reluctantly sat down.

There was silence between the two, Brynn set aside her book while her attention was now all upon the younger female. She began to take notice how mature the 16 year old looked. Even more mature than her. With her sharp eyes and figure. She definitely did not look her age. She stopped the urge of looking down at her own, not so blessed chest. A light blush crossed her face upon realizing that she was looking at the girl.

'First Nana, now Ciel? So apparently, I'm bi without realizing it.'

"I've been meaning to ask." The blank look that the younger one had never changed. This did not stop Brynn from seeing the shyness that it contained however. "Ever since you've joined Blood, how much combat experience do you have?"

What was with that question? Brynn couldn't help but think back to how long she was with Blood. It has been 2 months since she first participated in active missions and so far, she's been in more than 20 missions by now. But they all dealt with small fries and medium-sized Aragamis. She was never assigned a mission where she had to deal with a large-sized Aragami or anything that held extreme power. The power that a normal god Eater wouldn't be capable of handling.

"I don't know if you were made aware, but…" She paused and hummed before continuing, "Blood wasn't my first unit. Supposingly, I've been a God Eater since I was 13. But I guess that you can't count the three years that I've been inactive." She chuckled lightly in attempts to ease the tension in the air. Ciel didn't look amused in the slightest.

'Damn, tough cookie.' She thought with amusement.

"I see…" Ciel acknowledged as she averted her eyes. "I don't have much experience in the frontlines. However, I do specialize in tactical strategies and the like. I had devised a possible training regimen for Blood. Taking in each member's stats and capabilities into consideration. I believe that it will help with the development of Blood." She, "I submitted the report to you." She continued.

'So this is what Julius meant.' The blonde nodded, they continued to discuss with one another when Brynn's earpiece began to activate.

" **All Blood members are requested to proceed to the lobby."** Fran ordered. Although it was loud enough for Ciel to hear, Brynn cringed at how high the volume was and muttered a curse before lowering it.

"Looks like something's up." Brynn picked up her book and rose from her spot, stretching a bit before she turned back to Ciel. "Let's have lunch together and continue our discussion then." The silver-haired girl blinked in surprise before nodding in agreement.

She didn't expect the Vice Captain to actually be interested in all the technical stuff they were engaged in earlier. She had been brushed away by the other Blood members when she attempted to bring it up with them, and assumed that the eldest girl would react the same way. She couldn't help but smile as she followed behind the girl that she was thinking about.

The duo arrived at the lobby and all members were present. Julius cleared his throat before announcing whatever was going on.

"A distress call had been picked up just a few minutes ago. Apparently, a lone God Eater has been ambushed by a Psion." They all tensed up. Brynn recalled her previous experience with a Psion which wasn't a good one to add. "The God Eater has a second generation God Arc, which can easily be manipulated by the Psion. Although it is not confirmed what kind of Aragami this is. It is still a threat."

Brynn swallowed the lump in her throat as she looked around, this would be her first mission as Vice Captain. She couldn't help but feel the heaviness of her responsibility. Julius noticed the problematic look on the girl's face.

He knew that she was troubled by the responsibility that had been entrusted to her. But he wouldn't have decided on it if he wasn't confident in what she was capable of doing. He had seen some visions of what possibly was her past whenever she would come in contact with him.

" _Congratulations, you are the this branch's very first new-type."_

" _After this mission, you will be promoted to Captain."_

" _You are a very promising God Eater. I hope that you continue to remain loyal to your calling."_

He believed that she was fitting and more than competent for the responsibility.

"Captain, shall we begin?" Said girl released him from his thoughts as they all looked at him with concern, "The sooner we get there, the better." He nodded in agreement.

Clearly, he now needed someone to snap him from his thoughts every once in a while.

* * *

The Psion had been defeated and Blood dispersed in order to search for the God Eater that had previously been engaged with the Psion. It had been Julius and Gil who found their target. Followed by Nana, Ciel, and Romeo.

She was a silver-haired woman, wearing a white uniform that barely covered her chest. If the male God Eaters hadn't been used to this sight, they probably would have looked like hungry wolves upon seeing the voluptuous girl. Her God Arc was in its gun form, blood red in color, matching the blade and shield that it had.

"I thank you all for responding immediately." She thanked them before she queried, "Who the heck are you lot?"

Julius answered for them all, "We are Friar's Blood Unit. Our operator picked up the distress signal that was coming from your armlet. Our system is capable of picking up signals of Psions around the area." He paused before observing the girl, he had not seen any injuries, fortunately. "Are you alright, Miss?"

The woman nodded in response, the tense expression that she had faded away. "I am Alisa Illinichina Amiella, a member of Fenrir's independent unit, Cradle. Pleased to meet you-" She paused, "I apologize, I don't know your names." She gestured to each one of them with her free hand.

After getting acquainted with one another, Romeo piped in, "Uhm…" He looked around, all looked at him with curiosity. "The Vice Captain hasn't gotten back yet." Upon realization, Julius' eyes widened and he pressed on to his earpiece.

"Blood Alpha, we have regrouped. Where are you?" He asked in concern, waiting for a reply from the missing girl. He only heard static when a loud gunshot was heard. The line was finally getting established.

They all waited with bated breath as they heard a roar from the other line, "Yeah, Blood Alpha here, an Aragami has made its appear-" another roar came through, "For fucks sake shut up, Vajra!" There was a roar of pain and a slight yelp. Then static.

"Damnit." Julius cursed before pressing on his comm once again, "Fran, Julius coming in, send in the location of the large aragami that has entered the premises."

"Sending in coordinates. Something happened with the signal earlier. I've managed to re-establish the connection with the connection with Blood Alpha." A red dot appeared on Julius' eyepiece, he put it on hastily earlier and they proceeded to head to the location when he gave the order.

They ran towards the farthest building along with Cradle's member. They were all in their gun forms except for Nana who opted to use her hammer. "I can't believe that the Vajra hadn't been detected earlier!" Gil shouted while running next to Julius.

The demolished chapel was coming into view, "I hope that she's alright." Nana piped in. "She still can't be reached."

"This Vice Captain of yours must be insane." Alisa voiced out loud. This earned a sigh from Julius.

All had been stopped in their tracks the moment that they arrived and got a glimpse of what happened. A dark red and black aura surrounded the scythe as she cleaved through the beast multiple times. She raised it over her head, and cleaved the Vajra in half before pulling out, ripping out the core in the process. Leading to the lion-like Aragami's demise. She stabbed the God Arc into the ground and panted.

She had used up most of her stamina with her attacks. Fortunately, the Vajra died before she had ran out. Romeo was the first to rush to her.

"You took the Vajra down on your own!" His blue eyes were wide with surprise as he helped the girl to stand. It was his first time seeing a God Eater actually combat with a Vajra solo. He knew that it had been accomplished by other God Eaters in the past, but perhaps asides from Julius, he didn't expect Brynn to be capable of taking it down.

They all were approached her as she looked up and gave a sheepish grin, "Give me a sec. The Cleave fang really took a lot from me." The drained girl struggled to get up, but ended up stumbling. Nana and Ciel forunately caught her and supported her.

Gil went nearer with a furious look on his face, Brynn knew that he would be scolding her so she braced for his words, "You should have reached out to us earlier, idiot!" She winced a bit before turning back to him to glare.

"The signal had been jammed, stupid." She spat back at him, "I've been trying to run back but this fella," she pointed to the mass of oracle cells that was going back to the air, "was too keen on playing around. It was strangely aggressive." She added, now capable of standing giving the two younger girls thankful glances.

Julius butted in before they could reprimand her even more. "Let's just all be thankful that she's safe." The look of relief on his face had been evident. The worry and anxiety he had from earlier had been dispelled the moment he saw the girl's health levels. He thought that he was going to lose-

Wait, when did he get so attached? He shook his head slightly to get rid of the thoughts. He needed to remain professional. Attachments would only cause him trouble. He looked over back to his teammates to see that Brynn was conversing with the girl that they had rescued.

"You know, you'd be prettier if you pick up your jaw from the floor." Brynn casually joked as they all looked at the look of disbelief that the Russian had. "Don't take it the wrong way, I don't swing that way."

'Or maybe I do?' She caught a glimpse of the newcomer's chest. She turned back to face the girl's blue eyes.

Julius walked up to them, "Is there anything bothering you about my Vice Captain, miss?" His statement had caused the other to snap out of her thoughts.

Alisa cleared her throat, still looking at the female blonde. 'It can't be her? She's dead. She's been buried.' She faced Julius, "She just reminded me of an old friend." Brynn was now conversing with the tallest in the group. Hitting him every once in awhile.

'Could it be?'

She planned on approaching to ask for her name, but her comm had called her attention. A voice indicating that her pick-up has arrived.

" **Oi. We're here. Don't keep us waiting."** Came a gruff man's voice, she rolled her eyes upon realizing who it was. Failing to notice the Brynn look at her with shock.

"Yes, I'll proceed to the extraction point." She muted her comm and looked over to the unit that had saved her, "My pick-up has arrived, I thank all of you once again." She turned on her heel, ignoring the way that Romeo gawked at her. "I'm very sure that I will work by your side in the nearby future." They watched her retreating figure, Brynn staring intensely at the girl's back.

" _Ajin… Diva… Touri…"_

Did she know her? What branch did she come from? Brynn flinched when a hand laid itself upon her shoulder, "You did well, Vice Captain. We must make our way back to Friar." He gently reminded her, the other simply nodded in response. Thus they trudged back towards the extraction point. A lingering sense of familiarity had bothered her endlessly.

* * *

Brynn had been summoned by a certain scientist in order to be briefed regarding her upcoming assignment, which was to be fulfilled on the same day. A few days had passed since that Vajra incident and it has been awhile since her God Arc acted up.

Hopefully, it wouldn't anymore.

The doctor was kind enough to give her a tool that would stabilize her OP intake. An extra storage for oracle cells for her gun. It could store 9 times of what her OP storage was capable of doing. Her blast gun was already capable of doing that, but what the doctor added allowed it to happen automatically. Previously, she had to transfer it on her own.

The elevator's door slid open to reveal a red-haired woman, the sister of the person who she was to report to. She bowed slightly and the woman gave her a small smile, "Looks like your hands are beginning to get filled, Vice Captain." She put emphasis on the title.

Even until now, Brynn still wasn't used to being called that. It seemed awkward for her and she would constantly remind them not to call her that. Of course, if it were someone of that level, she would not dare to reprimand.

She was crazy but she still somehow had respect for her superiors.

"How's Ciel doing?" She was snapped back to reality with the question. Curiosity and concern sparked in the elder woman's eyes and Brynn could see it clear as day.

As promised, Brynn would often have lunch with the younger girl. This left her with less time with Julius and Gilbert who she usually was with. Not that they were bothered. Both, especially the captain, had become more busy as missions were piling up.

"I think that she's doing great." She cheerfully answered, "She's slowly opening up." Remembering one of the discussion that they had involving animals and bullets. Despite the contrast of the two topics, they were things that caused sparks to fly from the younger one's eyes.

The doctor hummed in response, "Is that so? That's good then." Her heels clicked against the floor as she walked past the God Eater. "Ciel came from a military bloodline thus resulting to her vast knowledge regarding weaponry and military tactics. I'm glad that she has someone to open up to now. She used to be Julius' bodyguard, so I suppose that they were somewhat close." She reached the elevator and stepped in, the small smile on her face didn't fade away, "Keep up the good work." The metallic doors closed.

'Bodyguard? They must have been really close then.' Her heart tightened a bit before she shook her head disapprovingly. She didn't and shouldn't be jealous and bothered. Wait, she wasn't jealous. There's nothing to be jealous about. A groan erupted from her throat before she made her way to the lab.

She didn't have time for those ridiculous feelings.


	9. Chapter 8

The Russian was dazed the entire flight home. Countless thoughts ran through her head as she stared outside, admiring the clouds. She couldn't help but chuckle at the previous lines that their former captain had told her.

" _Look at the sky and look for a cloud shaped like an animal."_

That was so long ago, even before… Before _she_ died. Before _she_ sacrificed herself to save them. The memory was as clear as day. Ever since she laid eyes on that girl earlier, she couldn't stop thinking about _her_.

The girl had the same caramel colored eyes. The same cheeky smile, audacious and impudent attitude. The same one that caused her to loathe _her_ at first. The hair color was questionable. There was a great contrast between pitch black and platinum gold, height as well.

And the fact that they saw her body being burnt and life being drained away.

"Oi." A sharp voice had snapped her from her thoughts, she looked over to her left and a dark-skinned man with white hair had met her eyes. "Anything worth sharing?" He asked with a cocked eyebrow.

Alisa shook her head, would it be worth telling him? "I was just thinking of her." She noticed the slight flinch and pained expression that the other hid by looking away.

"Thinking of her won't bring her back." She nodded at the cold statement. Despite him saying that, she knew that behind that cold exterior was sorrow. He had been the closest to her before she passed on.

"You're right." But that would allow her to live forever. Perhaps it was time that she lit a candle for her later on.

* * *

Walking around aimlessly, Brynn pondered why that girl was so familiar. Maybe they've met before? She was dying to know who she was. She knew the name, she asked Julius before she left for the mission.

Alisa Illinichina Amiella. She struggled to remember the name due to its length and complicatedness. She already struggled with her name, she was too lazy to even write it down fully. Imagine if she had to complete some test or something, she remembered seeing those in the Norn. Where you had to shade boxes as your answers and names had a certain number of spaces.

'23 letters for a name? How many letters did the alphabet have again?' Her contemplation had been cut short when a sound from her comm distracted her. She groaned, forgetting to decrease the volume.

" **Blood Alpha, are you ready for extraction?"** She loomed over the waters of the destroyed roads. Its blue and white hues blending together well despite how demolished the place is. She couldn't help but think of how nice this place must have been before it had been wrecked by aragami. According to the Norn, the place was previously known as Sapporo.

" **Blood Alpha? Are you active?"** She was brought back to reality upon hearing the voice. She pressed on her comm to respond.

"Yes, ready for extraction." The line went blank, leaving her to her thoughts again.

A strong gust of wind had caused her to turn abruptly, her eyes widened at what she saw. A girl with dark brown locks that reached below her chin, violet eyes, and an ominous smile. She was dressed in flimsy red halter and pants that were ripped in some parts. She had a piece of cloth tied around her waist.

"Aren't you a curious one." She voiced out in a singsong manner. "Do you really wanna know who you really are?" Brynn cocked an eyebrow at this and firmly gripped her scythe. The mysterious girl noticed this and chuckled, "Calm down, tiger. I'm not going to bite." She grinned, showing her sharp incisors.

"Yeah, that really is convincing." She sarcastically replied with an eye roll. Her grip did loosen upon seeing the armlet that the other one had. But, why would a God Eater go out without her God Arc?

As if the girl had been reading her mind, she answered, "It's under repair. Listen, Eos." Eos? Brynn's eyebrows scrunched together in an annoyed function. Irritated at the fact that some random girl was getting on her nerves and suddenly calling her names and even tempting her. "I have a proposal."

A glare, one that lived out the saying if looks could kill, appeared on Brynn's face. "Why would I accept an offer from someone that I don't even know?" The stranger was really putting her off. She usually was calm and collected, rarely upset and aggravated by people. (Unless they steal her fried chicken, like a certain black haired girl did once, and never again.) The giggle only fueled her irritation.

"Nessa. Nessa Volere. Not that it's an important detail. No." The girl, Nessa, slyly replied. She cleared her throat before continuing, "As I was saying earlier, before you decided to interrupt me." Brynn huffed. "I have a proposal."

"Not interested." Brynn swung Auricle over her shoulder before walking away. She needed to make it back to the extraction point, it was getting kind of chilly anyways.

A giggle had nearly stopped her from her tracks as it brought goosebumps to her skin, "Even if it causes you to remember everything?" She didn't stop walking. "Wouldn't you want to know what branch you came from? Or who that Alisa girl was? Or maybe even your parents and how you became a God Eater."

It was her principle to not make deals with people that were anomalous, but the girl was tugging on her curiosity. It was true that she wanted to know those things, maybe listening to the girl's proposal wouldn't be so bad, right?

"What do you want?" She gave in, failing to see the victorious smirk that the other had on her face.

"Ah, so I finally caught you attention? Here I thought that you'd be more stubborn. Oh well, not that I'm complaining." She felt her grip around her Scythe tighten, feeling the cold steel against her bare skin. The girl continued to ramble on, putting her in a state of anticipation of what deal the other had in mind.

"Oi, stop wasting my time."

Nessa huffed in annoyance, "You're starting to act like… Oh! I almost slipped." She hummed for awhile, "Let's call him Aion. Yeah, that's perfect. Anyways! So here's the deal, sweet Eos." There was a glint of mischievousness in her eyes that Brynn knew did not mean anything good. She listened on anyways.

* * *

" _Once you've done all that, I'll tell you everything."_

Those words continued to pester her on the flight back. She just arrived back at Friar and was currently making her way to the garden, where Ciel had requested them to meet. She needed something to do take her mind off things anyways. Company would do her good as well.

"Vice Captain, you made it." Despite the seriousness that was present in Ciel's tone. She knew that there was a tinge of enthusiasm in what she said which put her a bit at ease. She found it nice that she managed to break through the silver-haired girl's shell. Brynn skipped towards her with a sheepish grin on her face.

She couldn't tell her the exact same reason why she was late, but she could somehow say a creative truth, "Chi-You was being difficult." She managed to convince the younger one. "So, what was it that you wanted to talk about?" She asked with a genuine smile recalling the email that the girl had sent her.

 _From: Ciel Alençon_

 _Subject: Informal Meeting_

 _Message: Hello, Vice Captain. Do you have time later? There's something that I would like to discuss with you._

 _Ciel Alençon_

"Ah, of course." She paused for a while, "Blood is an amazing unit, capable of coordinating and operating well despite the different personalities and styles of each member." She gave a rare gentle smile, "I'm truly glad that I am part of Blood, although…" Brynn noticed the sadness flash in the younger one's eyes. "I believe that the others believe that I am too assertive regarding the tactics that I've been trying to reach out to them with." She paused and looked up at the Blonde who had been listening patiently, "I was wondering…"

"If we could be friends?" Her words earned her a wide-eyed look from her companion. She had been expecting this, thinking that the Vice Captain would take it in a negative manner and would even reject her. Nevertheless, what the other did in response had taken her by surprise.

"You don't even need to ask that, Ciel." She felt the other's vibrations as she spoke. Her forehead had been pressed against the taller one's sternum, she felt a pair of warm arms wrapping around her. Habitually, she would have put on a defensive mode and push someone away or moved away whenever someone had gotten too close, but for some reason, she was at ease. She didn't feel the need to do such.

"I am honored that you want me to be your friend." The blonde continued, placing her chin over the other's head. "I am also certain that the others aren't upset with you, they want to reach out. But honestly, you are kind of hard to see through." She slightly pulled away to get a good look at Ciel. A grin reached her face upon seeing the happy look that she had been met with.

"Really? Thank you so much, Vi-"

"Just Brynn, Ciel." She softly reminded. She knew that the other would press on with calling her by that title but she wouldn't tire of reminding them.

"Thank you, Brynn." She corrected herself, albeit uncomfortable calling her superior in such a casual manner, "I'm happy to have my first friend."

* * *

 _A pair of bright yellow eyes met her caramel colored ones, the scene was in a snowy and cold place. The dark blue skies and white ground had filled her vision. A white figure in front of her, which sported the yellow eyes, whispered in a soft yet audible voice._

" _I'm hungry?"_

She woke up. It was another of those weird dreams that she had been constantly having. Her eyes met the moon which was now green in color for some reason. She recalled it being white, but maybe her 3 years of being inactive had modified some of her prior knowledge.

It's bright hues light up the night sky, she sighed after running a hand through the grass that surrounded her. "I fell asleep, again." Her stomach growled in response. "I suppose that dreams do have meaning." She scoffed at the thought before pushing herself up. How long has she been here? It must have been a couple of hours since she and Ciel had talked. She insisted on staying as the other left to finish more tactics and edit some bullets.

"I wonder if they saved me my dinner." She grumbled while making her way to the elevator, mumbling something along the lines of, "There's fried chicken tonight."

* * *

He hadn't seen her all day and he was getting worried that the girl must have gotten herself into trouble again. It was a normal occurrence especially if the girl was out on her own. He had heard from the operator that his vice captain had gone out on a solo mission.

"The idiot hasn't eaten yet either." The 6 footer stared down on the two trays that he had set in front of him. The cafeteria was about to close, they were allowed to stay but they wouldn't have food if the services close.

He did promise her lunch after all. He chuckled to himself of how much of a freeloader the vice captain was. Still, despite her being playful, rowdy and sarcastic. No one could say no to her. She had a charm that not even their own captain could resist. She was capable of making everyone to give in to her wants.

She had them wrapped around her finger. Not in a bad way, she didn't seem like the type to take advantage of people. She was usually joking around about people treating her but they would anyways.

"Speak of the devil." He mused after seeing the girl he was thinking about enter the area. He saw the pout on her face as she glanced around the empty glass storages that once contained food. The cafeteria had closed and left her to either starve the entire night. Or to burst into someone's room and snack on whatever they had. She had Nana's room in mind.

He waited for her to notice him. Trying not to deter his gaze while the other wandered around, she eventually turned to where he was sitting and her face lit up like a Christmas tree. She skipped to where he was sitting and perched on the bench across him.

"Gilbert~" She chanted his name while eyeing the food. He knew what she wanted and with a sigh, pushed the tray towards her. She further beamed and stood up to hug the male, a blush spread across his face causing him to pull his cap farther down. "You love me~" He scoffed at this, but that had been ignored by the female.

The brunette couldn't help but speculate why the girl was extremely moody. She would appear serious then suddenly switch to someone who was cheerful and _annoying,_ then she would be quiet again. It most likely depends on who she was with. He shrugged the thought upon realizing that it was normal behavior.

"Eat before it gets called." He coldly stated while pushing her away, this caused her to tuck her tongue into her cheek while traipsing over to her seat. She clasped her hands together and mumbled a small prayer. Earning a questioning look from the taller male. She dismissed it and gave a small smile then they ate.

Gil watched from under his cap how fast the girl ate. It wasn't that she was a messy eater, she just ate at a pace that was quicker than him. Of course, not as fast as Nana. No one could rival her.

"So I heard that you went on a solo mission?" He broke the silence, the two were done eating but continued to converse in the cafeteria. They had the place all to themselves.

The blonde nodded, "Yeah, Dr. Rachel's request." She pushed her tray to the side, the male doing the same.

She had been going on these missions a lot lately, the doctor claiming that she needed the cores for one of her projects, of course, she didn't ask. It was somehow none of her business anyways. She had gone on 3 already within the week and knew that she possibly would be subjected to more in the coming days. It didn't bother her too much, the missions were relatively easy and she wasn't being forced to do anything to dangerous. Although, she did want to know why she was the one chosen. Even before she had the title of Vice Captain, she was brought out on these missions.

"Ah, by the way." Gil brought her out of her thoughts, "Ciel approached me earlier. Apologizing…' His voice trailed off, Brynn gave a small smile and a nod of approval.

"That's good, I suppose that she's finally opening up." She was happy that the talk that the two previously had, managed to get through the girl's heart. She wasn't entirely sure if what she said was the right thing to say. She wasn't the best at this kinds of things. She just said whatever felt right.

The two continued to idly chat when a yawn from Brynn had caused them to realize what time it already was. The blonde was the first to stand up, "Hey, Gil. Thanks for the food, we should rest. Heard that we have a meeting with the director tomorrow morning." She stretched as her companion followed her in standing up.

"Yeah, I'll go get something to drink." Brynn cocked an eyebrow at this, she knew what he meant by this. He wasn't referring to water or soda. Knowing him, it would be scotch or even drambuie if it was available. Since she wasn't fond of drinking, only during special occasions or celebrations, she would give him her share. She shrugged her shoulders in response and began to walk towards the housing areas.

"Don't stay up too late." She reminded him before leaving the cafeteria.

"Yes, mom." She spun around to roll her eyes at him before walking away for good.

* * *

Brynn typed away on the terminal which she secretly loathed. As promised, she returned the Captain's laptop so she was stuck to using her best friend called the terminal.

"They could have provided us with individual laptops instead of these big ass terminals. Would have caused half the credits." She rolled her eyes to no one in particular and worked on the reports. She offered to do half of the Captain's and her own reports.

"That was a stupid idea." She mused out loud.

An email suddenly appeared on her screen. She clicked on the electronic letter and her eyes widened at the message and recipient.

From: Nessa Volere

Subject: It was!

Message: Don't forget about what I told you, dear Eos! It's worth considering.

Her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance, she wasn't just annoyed, she was creeped out. How did that strange brunette even know or hear what she said. She closed the email. The thought of the strange girl further bothered her.

After multiple corrections and edits, she finished the reports. She sighed in relief and closed the terminal, plumping down on her bed. She had no idea who that mysterious 'Nessa' was but she didn't seem like someone who she should trust. Not even the slightest. The fact that she appeared out of nowhere and disappeared from her sight, and that whatever had been in the email was something of the present.

Her request had been easy however. It was something that she was willing to do, if asked from someone that she actually knew. It seemed strange coming from the violet-eyed girl.

'To say yes to everything that Rachel asks of you…'

What connections she had with the scientist, she had no idea. She shrugged the thought and figured that if she continued to think so deeply about it, she would get a headache or something. Maybe she was going insane, or hallucinating. Or eating too much fried chicken.


	10. Chapter 9

"Reporting in, Director Grem." Julius began the moment that the three stepped into the room. They all bowed their heads when the Chief Supervisor, Dr. Leah, passed them. She gave a small smile, a lingering gaze on Brynn before she left.

It wasn't Brynn's first time in the director's office. The last time was when Romeo dragged her in here to pester the director, they got yelled out and kicked out. Who could blame him though, Romeo asked questions regarding his connection with the idol that he obviously admired.

" _Come on, Brynn!" Flailed the blonde male as he followed the vice captain like a lost puppy. The pout on his face not fading away, "It's really important! We have to talk to Director Grem. Please."_

 _She spun around and gave an annoyed look, "Fine. Let's go." Her friend's face lit up the moment that she complied. She sighed and figured that it was something important._

 _Boy, she was wrong._

"I was informed you wished to speak with my team and I?" She was snapped from her thoughts when Julius spoke up once again. The three of them stood with attention in front of the desk. Brynn couldn't help but grimace at the foul scent that clouded the room. It came from the cigars that the director smoked nonstop.

" _Leader, if you keep smoking, it will be the death of you." She said with a disapproving expression. The figure clad in brown simply shrugged his shoulders before answering. A puff of smoke coming from his mouth._

" _Better than being Aragami feed." She scoffed before walking away._

Crinkling her nose in displeasure, she earned a discerning look from the Captain who happened to look her way.

She gave a small smile before paying attention. It was the director's turn to speak. Fortuitously, the plump man didn't see the faces that she was making. She wouldn't be surprised if she lost her job sooner or later with her behavior.

"As per Dr. Rachel's request, I want you Blood Unit" he said the name with disgust and in a degrading manner, "to take lead in conducting the upcoming God Arc Soldier exercises." He turned to the skinny scientist standing by the edge of his table, "Kujo, elaborate for me." With that being said, he scrambled and stuttered.

"O-Of course, Director." He gave a slight nod, somewhat putting himself at ease, "I understand that you, Captain Julius and Ms. Alencon, worked under Dr. Leah and Dr. Rachel." He gave a short glance to Brynn before turning back to the two, now she felt useless.

The two were raised together after all, in the same place and by the same people. They may have been promising as children thus earning them such positions and responsibilities at early ages. Now, if only she could remember what her experiences were when she was younger. The frustration and curiosity was getting to her.

"Yes," Julius answered, "That is true. They raised us, in fact. Both Ciel and I served as test pilots in the earlier phases of the God Arc Soldier Project."

See?

Brynn listened intently anyways, taking in all the small details and terms that she would probably forget later on. The scientist perked up at what the young captain just told him.

"Very good!" He chimed in with a smile gracing his face. "Yes, very good indeed."

'That doesn't sound creepy at all.' Brynn thought as she watched the scientist grin in an ominous way. Perhaps she was overthinking things.

"Then I'll be brief. I need you to observe the soldiers in combat and defend them." He hesitated a bit before continuing, "If necessary." Brynn was about to stuff her hands in her pockets, when she realized that she didn't have any so she crossed them over her chest instead. She tried to stop herself from covering her nose as the smoke just kept getting thicker.

'Hope that you get lung cancer.' She side glared at the director who was busy staring at nothing with a smile on his face as he puffed smoke.

"We require 1-on-1 combat data, so your task is to clear the operation area. Please ensure that nearby aragami will not be a threat." Kujo added, Julius hummed in response.

"So we're the opening act?" He pointed out, the emotion in his voice was unreadable.

Another puff of smoke filled the air before the director responded, "Exactly." A sly grin creeped on his lips. "You best not forget it, boy. The God Arc Soldiers are the star of the show." Chastising them while the vice captain tried to hold back her eye roll.

'Not just lung cancer hopefully.' For someone who has never been in the battlefield or had contact with aragami, he sure was putting them down a lot. She dismissed the thought of tossing him out the building, she was irritable today for some reason.

"Do I make myself understood?"

"Yes, sir." A curt response from the captain with a nod. With that being said, they were shooed outside, to be briefed by the male scientist who followed them.

* * *

Julius ran over to the desk where Fran was talking on her comm and typing briskly. Her eyebrows were furrowed together which further fueled the captain's concern.

"Is Blood still engaged?" He asked after slamming his hands on the counter. She nodded and muttered a short response while typing away on her keyboard, her eyes fixated on the computer screen. She gasped.

" **God Arc Soldier Beta has taken server damage. What are you orders?"** Julius immediately recognized Ciel's voice. His breath was hitched in his throat as he tightened his grip on the counter, waiting for a response. Despite the situation the young girl was in, she remained calm.

"Ciel, I'll deactivate God Arc Unit Beta. Defend it and repel aragami until we can mount a rescue." The operator's hands worked on accomplishing what she just said. Green eyes scanning the computer when she was abruptly stopped.

"Delay that!" Julius cut in, the rage in his voice was obvious, "I saw strange clouds on my return. I'm certain that they were red nimbus." He just arrived from a solo mission that had been assigned by Rachel. Something to keep him busy with.

Fran's eyes widened upon what she heard, she whispered lowly, "No… Red Nimbus."

* * *

A group of three God Eaters looked over at the distance. Red, thundering masses of clouds came at them at a breakneck pace. They could hardly contain the fear on their faces, they were alone together. Nothing could provide them comfort as the smell of decaying oracle cells, metallic smell of blood, only added fuel to their nerves.

"Gil here." The tallest and oldest among them pressed on his earpiece, "We can confirm the presence of the Red Nimbus." Romeo walked up to him with awe in his face. It had been overshadowed by his fear, however.

"I've heard the rumors, but other than in Friar, I've never seen one in person. This is insane!" His eyes widened when a bolt of lighting had flashed in the sky. Nana remained behind the entire time as the trio discerned the scene in front of them. She gasped when an Aragami dropped from the skies in front of them. A Chi-You that taunted them the moment that it hit the ground.

"Romeo, keep an eye on Unit Omega." Gil slashed the air with his weapon, getting ready to attack. Romeo nodded and switched to his gun, staying near the God Arc Soldier.

* * *

She felt useless.

Hopeless.

Idle.

Meaningless.

Incompetent.

Every negative word that she had in her vocabulary, could perfectly describe her. She was alone, assigned to watch one of the soldiers, Unit Gamma in particular. Like Ciel had been assigned to Beta. She froze upon hearing that her friend was in danger.

" _Brynn, as vice captain, make sure that they are all safe." The ochre haired male said with a hand firmly placed on the smaller one's shoulder. The usual gentle expression that he had for her, was replaced with a serious one._

" _Yes, Captain." She bowed slightly before hustling towards the God Arc storage area where all of them had been waiting._

She heard the orders that Gil was barking out to the rest of the unit after an Aragami appeared. She was supposed to protect them. She gazed at the crimson clouds that threatened them. She had to do something.

Turning her head slightly, her eyes met the metallic figure that she was 'protecting.' An idea crossed her mind. It was crazy, and risky, but it might just work.

"I'm gonna get in trouble." Then an image of her teammates getting hurt flashed. She shivered at the thought of it.

"Fuck it."

* * *

Julius hastily activated his own comm, the moment that it picked up signal, he ordered, "Blood Unit, withdraw immediately! There isn't enough time." He was tormented by the thought of his comrades getting hurt.

Although he had ordered Brynn to watch over them, it was still his unit, he was still captain. If anything were to happen to them…

" **Captain, it may be too late, red rain has begun to fall here."** Ciel's somber voice came through. He clenched his teeth and cursed.

"Damn!" He turned to the operator who had the same panic and fear on her face, "Fran, where's the transport squad?" She checked the screen, typing a few times on the keyboard when her shoulders sagged. That wasn't a good sign, Julius knew it.

"They're surrounded, trying to fight through the Aragami." She paused before sighing sadly, "I don't think that they'll make it on time." She wistfully confessed. Julius cursed once again.

"All Blood members, your new orders are to put on the suits and rescue Ciel!" He continued to bark orders. The silver-haired girl was the only thing on his mind right now and her safety. He assumed that since she was the only one that had been separated.

"Whatever you do, Ciel. Stay out of the rain." Before he could carry on or even listen to a response, a new voice had cut in.

"Stop! You do not have the authority to do that." The newcomer challenged, all eyes turned to where the voice came from.

Julius' teeth gritted at the sight and his hands curled up into fists, he was trying his best to remain calm and respectful towards the superior, "Director Grem." He acknowledged through clenched teeth.

"Tell your _minions_ , that the God Arc Soldiers are their _first_ and _only_ priority." He put emphasis on his words, as if mocking the captain, "Order them to aid to their defense." He added, not considering the lives that were to be put at risk.

"Sir!" Julius exclaimed, an incredulous look on his face, "That's impossible, they cannot fight in the rain." He reasoned out, hands still pulled into a fist. An angered shout came from the older man.

"How dare you question me, Julius?! You will defend the God Arc Soldiers even at the cause of your life!" This caused Julius to boil over, he slammed his hand hard on the counter which had the young operator flinch in surprise.

Poor counter was taking a beating that day.

"Have you gone mad? I won't abandon her! You know damn well how dangerous the rain is!" Before he could even answer back even more, a calm voice from their comms had been heard by all.

It was Ciel, her voice was still composed, Julius knew that there was more to it, " **Captain, I will stay by the God Arc Soldier's side."** She continued to say how he should stop defending her. " **I'm truly honored to have fought by your side."** The line went blank.

The director snickered upon hearing what the girl just said, Julius no longer hid his glare. The director dismissed him however and continued to laugh with glee.

"Ciel! Respond, Ciel!" He slammed the counter once again in chagrin. He could no longer hear her voice.

"She deactivated her comm." Fran informed him after checking the state that the unit was in.

"That young lady is well-trained, indeed! She's made the right choice and saved your career with it, _captain._ " Sarcasm was dripping as he mentioned the title. The scowl on Julius' face had vanished, his attention had been taken away once again by a loud curse on the comm.

" **Uh, Captain?"** Nana's hesitant voice was heard, prompting him to immediately respond.

"What is it, Nana?" He hoped for good news, but the string of curses that erupted from Gil's mouth didn't provide him with much comfort.

" **That fucking idiot."** He heard, causing him to cock an eyebrow. What the hell was happening?

Nana's voice came through once again, after a loud explosion, " **It's the vice Captain,"** She paused as another explosion and came through, " **She kind off… Flew off in a God Arc Soldier. We couldn't stop her cause she was separated from us."** Julius' eyes widened.

"What?" He growled. Two of his comrades were in danger, one wasn't on purpose and the other was being plain reckless. He had the urge to run out, but the loud thundering cry of the red nimbus had reminded him that he couldn't.

Fran gasped which earned his attention, "The Aragami signals are going dark, and Gamma is on an intercepted course with Beta!" She voiced out as she examined the screen. So those explosions were coming from the Vice Captain navigating the God Arc Soldier.

Grem sighed in irritation, as much as he wanted to get rid of the entire unit, he couldn't. It would rid them of puppets and tools, he scolded Julius before walking away. He needed a cigar, or maybe Leah. Whichever of the two would do.

The two watched the retreating figure of the plump man, they were now focused on the Blood Unit, when Julius began to erupt in a series of chuckles. Fran could only stare at him with disbelief, wondering what was going on with the captain.

She simply sighed before turning back to the computer screen, a small smile appearing on her face upon what she saw.

* * *

"Oh my, I may have timed things incorrectly once again." A whimsical voice echoed in an empty room, as a figure clad in black typed and examined the screen in front of her.

A smile curled on her lips upon seeing the charts that she had closely been examining.

"Fascinating…" She mused as the focused on the erratic changing stats of the God Arc Soldier a certain blonde was currently navigating. She turned her gaze to the other set of stats that belonged to each member. Three names were written in red, previously, only two had been red. There was a new addition to the fray.

"My sweet Brynn… You truly are a blessing from above. I suppose that I can have you play for a bit longer, little one?" Soft giggles resonated in the room, the figure still focused on the large screen in front of her.

Everything was falling into place. Perhaps she could even get what she wanted earlier.


	11. Chapter 10

She grunted after being tossed into her home for the next few days. A plain grey room that had a toilet, sink and a bed. A metal bed that had no sheets or pillows. The metallic door slammed close, causing her to flinch at the sound.

She had been thrown into the brig the moment that they arrived. She was expecting it though, she had no regrets. A small smile played on her face upon remembering what had occured.

She kept them safe. That's what matters most.

She was alone, she thought she was, a few minutes had passed since she was thrown into the cell, when soft footsteps padded down the hallway. They stopped in front of her room. Brynn looked up from where she was currently sprawled and saw a certain silver-haired girl. She gave a gentle smile and stood up, groaning a bit at the hardness of the surface she was lying on.

"How are you?" She asked, making her way towards the door and looked through the metal bars that separated them. She would have laughed at how pitiful her situation was. A punishment like this was useless, she was willing to do every reckless thing just to keep the people that she loved safe.

"Why?" Her eyebrows furrowed upon hearing that word, tilting her head to the side as she waited for the other to continue, "Why would you risk yourself for my sake? Operating a God Arc Soldier requires screening and even so…" The young girl choked out a sob, "You could have died!" Her voice trembled as she gripped the metal bars.

"You could have died…" She repeated, her eyes downcast. "You risked yourself, you risked your life, your career… Just for me…" She rambled on, Brynn only remained silent and listened intently.

Never has she experienced such warmth. No one has ever done something so risky for her and she not once expected that form anyone in the unit. Despite the girl imprisoned being one of her first friends, she never thought that she would do something as insane as that.

She was ready to die, ready to fight till the death. That was what she was taught, even at a young age. But here she was, breathing and alive. She looked up, her silver eyes meeting caramel ones. In those caramel eyes, was warmth that she had never seen before.

"Wouldn't you have done the same?" The words caused her eyes to widen. Brynn no longer waited for a response as she continued, "I'm your friend, remember? My career and my own life will never be more important than your wellbeing." The older one added with a gentle smile, allowing her hand to reach over to her waiting for her to reach out.

Ciel stared at the hand, slowly releasing her grip from the metal bars and slowly reached over to touch the expecting fingers. She sighed upon making contact.

"Thank you, no one has ever risked themselves for me." She paused, "No one until you…" She added, reciprocating the smile. This elicited a chuckle from the imprisoned one.

"I'd be willing to do it again." She playfully winked and pulled her hand away. "You should probably get going, I don't want you to get in trouble." The other refused to budge at first, a concerned look plastered on her features. This earned another chuckle to come from the vice captain. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I'll sleep through everything."

She wasn't kidding. That way, time would go faster. Ciel smiled in amusement anyways. She thanked her one last time before walking away. Brynn watched in silence at the retreating figure. The moment that she no longer could see her, she slumped down on the metallic bed and a sad smile graced her lips.

She was sad, for the shallowest reason, not once did the Captain look for her during the mission. She wasn't jealous, she was just sad that she didn't even cross his minds. She groaned at the thought and shook her head to dismiss it.

At least she fulfilled her responsibility as vice captain and as a friend.

She continued to stare at the ceiling, everything in the brig was silent. When her loud curse echoed throughout the walls.

"I forgot to ask her to save me some chicken!"

~'~'~

It's been three days. Three days since she's been locked up in that small, white, confinement with almost no human contact. To say that she was bored is an understatement. She was teetering over the edge of falling into insanity.

Of course, that was an exaggeration.

Despite reassurance that she gave to her friend a few days ago that she would be fine. She sort of wasn't. She wanted to see the garden again, her solace. She wanted to eat food that she could actually swallow. (Fried chicken in particular. Vegetables even, just not whatever concoction that they served in the brig.)

She wanted to bathe in her favorite bathroom stall. She did get to shower but she had a time limit, and the water was extremely cold. As if they put ice in the shower. She felt like a whiny brat but she couldn't help it.

Although, she wasn't quite ready yet to face her teammates. During the past few days, only Ciel has been visiting her. She appreciated the effort and the time that the girl put. Despite the younger one being quiet and somewhat stiff when they first interacted, she had gone a long way.

Brynn was close to drifting off to sleep, her eyes closing on its own accord as she stared at the dreary ceiling. The moment that her eyes closed, the metallic doors slid open causing her to sit up instantly. The brisk action had caused her head to spin a bit, she blinked and held it a few times before looking towards the door.

"You're free to go." The man, clad in Friar's uniform which was mainly green, informed her, stepping to the side indicating that she should go. Incapable of stopping the grin that was slowly reaching her face, she hurried out of her home for the past 3 days.

Before she could head out, the man called out to her, "Dr. Rachel is requesting for you to go to her office, do proceed there before doing anything else." Despite being curious, she nodded and thanked him before skipping away.

She just wanted to be out of that damn place.

* * *

"Hello, Brynn. You're looking well." She couldn't tell whether the older woman was being sarcastic or not. If this was any of her peers, she would have responded with something more brash.

"Good day, Dr. Rachel. You wanted to see me?" She answered while closing the door behind her. She was met with the neat and large laboratory that the doctor and sister had for themselves. The large screen showing the silhouette of God Arc Soldier and…

Hers?

The woman noticed the questioning look on the other one's face which caused her to giggle. Brynn snapped her head back to the younger Claudius, waiting for an explanation.

"You see, Amaryllis." She began, using the name that she wasn't usually called by, "I have learned some interesting things about you." This further captured the girl's attention, causing her to tilt her head slightly to the side which was one of her habits. Rachel motioned to the seat that was in front of her, urging the other one to sit down. Albeit hesitant, she sat down.

She had a feeling that this was going to take some time.

"Let's begin with your Blood Power; Evoke. You have the ability to awaken other people's Blood Power. Which was the case with Ciel." Brynn nodded slowly in understanding, brushing her bangs to the side with her hand the moment that they got in her eyes.

'I need to cut these soon.'

"Another is your strange compatibility with the God Arc Soldier. Like your God Arc, you have to be a match in order to operate these. The highest compatibility that we had was with Ciel, which was 78% compatible." She turned to the screen and began typing something on her keyboard. Brynn only watched with interest as multiple tabs appeared on the screen, the moment that the woman stopped, she saw her name along with a few charts.

"Your compatibility was 95%. Which is quite high and almost unbelievable. If your level of compatibility was low, it could have lead to your death." She swallowed the lump in her throat upon hearing that. "This would portend that you are capable of doing something remarkable with your own God Arc."

"What do you mean?"

The golden haired woman pressed something else on her keyboard before continuing, it was an outline of her and her God Arc. Different numbers and characters surrounded it, she couldn't comprehend it herself.

"It means that you can use different types of God Arc. Ones that you have forged on your own and with your own materials, of course." She added, Brynn's eyes widened in disbelief. "You are currently using the Variant Scythe, am I correct?" Not waiting for answer, she continued, "You also have the means of using the Short Blade, Long Blade, Buster Blade and the other kinds of weapons."

Her? Capable of wielding those? She only remembered wielding her scythe, not once has she tried using other weapons. The idea seemed ridiculous, she had this connection with Auricle and the thought of using other weapons seemed wrong.

"Perhaps you should consider experimenting on these, Amaryllis. Now, for the reason why I called you." Brynn felt the hair on the back of neck slowly rise, she was sensing something wrong.

"Your Blood Power and your interesting compatibility could help with the development of the God Arc Soldiers. If you agree to help with the project, the God Arc Soldier Project can be accomplished within a few months instead of the years that we were expecting." All the information that she was getting was taxing. But, she didn't mind the idea of helping.

"You do not need to answer me now, Brynn." Rachel finally called her by her first name, despite the comfort it was supposed to bring, she only felt more pressured. The small smile on the woman's face had not made her feel any better as well. There was something behind that smile, she just knew it.

'I shouldn't be jumping into conclusions.' She thought to herself while staring back at the bright blue eyes that locked with her own.

"I know that you must be surprised after all this information, you are free to go." With that being said, she stood up and gave a slight bow. "However, do consider letting go of Auricle, you might find something greater in store for you."

Despite how much her mind was rejecting the idea, she gave a curt nodded and excused herself from the laboratory. She sighed deeply as she ran a hand through her platinum colored hair. Making her way to the lift that she came in. Her finger pressed on the button, feeling its cold surface.

She liked the idea of finally being useful, of being able to help. However, she couldn't shake of the uneasy feeling that she was having. She didn't understand why she had it or what was causing her to feel that way, but it was there.

Ever since that Volere girl appeared, she was always on the edge whenever the doctor was around. Numerous thoughts ran through her head the moment that she stepped in the elevator.

" _To say yes to everything that Rachel asks of you."_

Before she could trouble herself even more with the thoughts in her head, her stomach decided to growl signifying her hunger. Rolling her eyes she spoke to no one in particular, "Way to ruin the moment."

* * *

The platinum haired girl made her way towards the cafeteria. She first stepped out of the elevator and arrived at the lobby's first floor. She sighed in relief upon not seeing anyone.

She knew that a certain Scottish man would berate her the moment that he lays his eyes on her. Cringing at the thought of that, she hastily made her way towards the hallway that would lead to the cafeteria.

"So you're finally out." She froze upon hearing the voice and swallowed the lump that was lodged in her throat. Fate was currently messing around with her. Turning slowly, her caramel colored eyes met with cobalt ones.

She gulped and gave a sheepish smile, still not fully facing her teammate, "Hi, Gil! Yeah, was just about to get some lunch, so… bye!" Before she could sprint away, a firm hand landed on her shoulder, stopping her. The strong grip on her shoulder pulled her so that she was facing her source of fear.

The same cobalt eyes had a glint of anger in them, she tried to avert her own but she couldn't bring herself to do so, so she found herself drowning in blue eyes.

Before she could say anything, she was taken aback by the way her comrade was shaking her, his face contorted into one of worry, "How the damn hell could you be so reckless?!" He demanded more than asked, she could only stare up and purse her lips together. Eyebrows ruffling in annoyance as the older male continued to assault her with words.

"Hey! At least I'm still alive-ow!" She pointed out the moment that the man let her go, she wasn't able to continue her sentence as the man pulled on her ear. It didn't hurt but it took her by surprise.

"You're going to wish that you died when I'm done with you, idiot!" Finding a narrow way to escape, she took it the moment that the man was about to drag her off to somewhere else. She snaked under his right arm and darted towards the elevator that she previously came in. She dashed inside and repeatedly pressed the close button. She could see the figure of Gil running towards her but the elevator closed just in time. She unconsciously pressed on the floor that lead to the garden.

What transpired earlier made her feel that she was being chased by a pack of Ogretails or even Kongous. This caused her to shiver at the thought while slumping against the elevator's metallic wall. She grumbled something that related to her hunger. Before she could continue complaining, the elevator's doors parted open, snapping her back to reality.

She stepped out and sighed in relief, her usual reaction whenever she would visit her favorite place on Friar. Breathing in the fresh air that the garden provided and taking in the sunlight that came with the bright blue skies. She was relieved that the red clouds the other day were gone. Although it reminded her of what happened 3 days ago, and of the time that she was stuck in that damned place.

She definitely wasn't going to do anything as dumb as that again. Or, she would try to not get caught.

A voice coming from the tree had pulled her out of her reverie.

"Vice Captain." Her eyes widened upon realizing who it was. Blood's Captain, Julius. His voice remained calm and stern, despite that, he held a hard gaze. A hard and rare gaze that was directed at her.

'First Gil, now Julius?' She remained glued on the spot. The male approached her, his strides were long and he stopped in front of her within a few seconds. Her instincts yelled 'run', but she was bound to face them anyways.

"Hello, Captain. Lovely day that we're having." She gave a sheepish smile, trying to alleviate the tension that they were currently in. Her attempt failed as the other was near piercing holes into her with his glare.

"Indeed." Julius replied, he had come to the garden earlier to reflect, and knew that it was the perfect time because of the weather. However, that wouldn't distract him from his purpose of wanting to talk to her. "However, that is not what I want to discuss with you at the moment." He noticed how she flinched. Her eyebrows furrowing together in the process and how her smile threatened to dip down.

He almost felt guilty. Almost. However, he could no longer have her do such reckless things that would lead to her death.

"I would like to first thank you." He began with a light smile finally gracing his lips. He was upset, but not to the point that he would scream at her. It was Gil's job and he was quite sure that the other had fulfilled it quite well. He prevented himself from smiling even more upon seeing the perplexity that was now evident on his Vice Captain's face. "For saving Ciel, what you executed was courageous." He could see her lips twitching from a straight line into a smile, but failed upon doing so the moment that he continued.

"However, that does not change the fact that what you did was imprudent." He saw her flinch, he remained silent and waited for a response from the girl. Not seeing her move, he was about to continue.

"There was no other choice." She replied in a serious manner, in a way that the Captain had not heard before. He hid his reaction through his facade. He knew that she was being defiant, "Ciel could have-"

"What were your orders, Vice Captain?" He immediately cut her off, he wouldn't allow her to step out of line. Despite them being quite close outside of the battlefield, he needed to remain professional. Something that he had been neglecting quite recently. He watched her as her expression grew taut, her lips pursed in a fine line once again, her eyes screaming at him.

"Keep everyone safe." She responded, although her answer was sure, he knew that she was confused, "Did I not fulfill them, Captain?" She asked with pure curiosity and confusion. The male could only sigh in response, his expression was now softening.

"That includes you, Vice Captain." She was surprised the moment that the male took a step towards her and even put a hand on her shoulder. The way that he spoke greatly differed from how he did earlier. He was being gentle, no longer spooking her like how he did earlier.

The Captain did have a point, everyone entailed that she would be included, but she was willing to risk herself if it meant that there were no other options. She looked away, not capable of looking straight at the other's eyes due to her shame.

Here the captain was trying to be kind despite the trouble that she had caused him. She knew that he had to face the director and the other higher ups due to her foolhardy actions.

"Look at me." He tenderly ordered, she slowly brought her face to meet his. Grey orbs clashing with her tawny ones. She felt her face grow warm upon realizing how close their faces were. From this distance she could fully examine his facial features. She knew that her Captain was handsome, but damn, being this close was different.

His tousled blonde to ochre hair, thick and lustrous that perfectly framed his symmetrical face. His well set eyes. Grey eyes, despite how grey was usually deemed to be dull or boring, his was the complete opposite.

They were bright, full of emotion, under the sunlight, they looked like Zircons, natural gems that were rarely found now. Along with that, were his lashes that were long for a male. It didn't make him look feminine, in fact, it added to his appeal. It made her wonder why his lashes were nicer than her own.

Thin eyebrows that were usually kept in a manner than made him look serious and strict. Her eyes began to trail downwards, to his nose that was slender and rounded, probably due to his own heritage. His thin and pale lips that were usually drew in a straight line, void of any emotion. Those features were accompanied by his fair and smooth skin. Her eyes widened the moment that she realized how intense her stare probably was, coughing to the side to awkwardly avoid his eyes.

Her cheeks flared and she prayed that he wouldn't notice, she timidly looked back and waited for him to speak.

"To have you out of commission would be detrimental to the team," Her shoulders sagged a bit upon hearing those words. Was she expecting that he was telling this because of his own feelings. She dismissed the thought and continued to listen, "Do take into consideration your team, Blood. We can't have any casualties that would result with the loss of a member." She sadly nodded, his hand pulling away from her shoulders.

She wanted him to tell her more, but she was met with him walking past her. She sighed, which she thought was inaudible to the male. "I'll have to go now, I have business to attend to. Do take time to make an appearance to the others. They are quite worried about you."

"Yes, Captain…" Her voice trailed off upon hearing the metallic doors open then close. She failed to see the conflicted look on her Captain's face.

She knew that despite the friendship that the two of them had, the Captain would always choose to remain professional. Even with how casual they spoke, he remained serious and conducted himself with such authority. Sure, he would joke around a bit and loosen up, but the moment that he realized that, he would clamp up again. She couldn't blame him, at such a young age, he had a lot of responsibilities and expectations.

The sooner that she accepts this, the better. She knew that what she had done probably put a strain on their relationship. It would take quite some time before things would go back to normal.

It was her own fault.


	12. Chapter 11

_Darkness. She was surrounded by it. It wasn't an unusual occurrence for her. She knew that she was dreaming. This time, she would be only capable of hearing voices. The darkness no longer deceived her, she used to be frightened by its mere presence. The things that it brought her. The fear that was instilled in her._

 _She was used to it._

" _Ah, Marco," Came a male's voice, a voice that seemed so familiar yet indistinguishable at the same time. Like most dreams, she couldn't move. She couldn't feel her muscles. She could only listen to whatever was happening and attempt to decipher them._

" _You're on time, what did Adriana feed you this time?" The same voice added in an amused manner. Chuckles filled the room as she heard chairs being pulled, despite how gently it was being pulled, she heard them scratching the floor._

 _This time, another voice made itself known, it was a female's, "Believe me, Luke, it took a lot of effort just to get him to wake up. He slept through his alarm, if I had not noticed, we wouldn't be here until tomorrow, no?" She assumed that was Adriana, her voice was smooth as silk, almost seductive if she may add. She dismissed the thought upon hearing groans of complain._

" _You are embellishing things, amore." A baritone voice, one that she assumed belongs to Marco, reverberating through the darkness. Followed by a soft chuckle, like rolling thunder billowing across dark skies._

 _She didn't know the voices, but she was reminded of something. She couldn't put her finger on it but it was on the tip of her tongue, tugging at her to remember what it was. The voices leisurely chatted as she drowned herself in thoughts. Unable to understand why she was dreaming of this._

 _Another woman's voice joined in. She was smitten by how lovely the voice was, a velvety voice that was lax and calming. Another voice that was familiar but she couldn't understand why. "I suppose that we have the same woes, Adriana." She heard the laughter of both women and dissenting groans of males._

 _Who were these people? They didn't seem to be teenagers, their voices and speech pattern proved otherwise. Despite the way that they were acting, she had a feeling that this would be something of great importance._

" _Now," Came Luke's voice, the carefree tone he had earlier, expiring, replaced with one that was somber. She swore that the room grew tense as well. "Shall we begin with_ _Project Cesser?"_

' _Project Cesser?' She questioned as she heard papers being shuffled, pens scribbling on the said paper._

" _Ah, of course." Came Marco's deep voice. "We received the files that Alice sent the other day. What was stated there, was conducted 7 years ago, right?" He questioned, "That was when-"_

" _The infection began." The soft spoken woman from earlier cut in. She assumed that she was the Alice character._

 _There was a brief silence, "It's amazing how you were able to put the disregarded Bias Factor to good use. Imagine how this will benefit Fenrir's defenses! We could even use it to stop the Aragami's Oracle Cells from reforming if we apply this to the God Arc that we have now." Adriana spoke, with excitement in her voice. Brynn was finally able to put the pieces together._

 _Or so she thought._

" _True, however, the last report that we made was rejected by Fenrir. They claimed it to be a freak accident. Something out of sheer luck." There was silence again._

" _But imagine the possibilities!" Luke continued for Alice. There was desperation in his voice, "We can convince the higher ups, somehow. There is a way."_

" _They see you as a threat, Luke." Alice reminded, her soft tone was gone, replaced with a sad and firm one._

" _I know, but…" He paused for awhile, "The both of you will help us, right?" They were once again consumed by silence._

" _Of course!" Came the male's deep voice, "Anything for the future generation to have a better future." His voice trailed off, but she heard the determination in it._

 _Another hummed in response, they continued to discuss things when Brynn was shaken by the loud explosion that was near them. She heard walls collapsing and screams, a fearsome roar caught her attention._

" _What's this?! An Aragami?!" More screams were followed by that, crashing and stomping of whatever Aragami that was. Followed by a woman's heinous laughter._

"Vice Captain!" Her eyes flung open, revealing her wide eyes as she took in the azure sky. Her palms were sweating and she could feel her heart beating loudly on her chest. She was panting, she wasn't tired by it was as if so much adrenaline had been pushed into her system. She began to realize where she was, she was lying against the tree, beside her was a certain Silver-haired girl who was looking at her with concern.

She had been trying to awaken the girl from her sleep. She was thrashing and constantly mumbling things that she couldn't discern. Worry had been etched on her usually calm face. "Are you alright?" She asked, finally finding her voice.

Brynn looked away, was she okay? She wasn't hurt anything. She was just confused. Extremely confused by the dream that she just had. Who were those people? And what plan were they talking about? Project Cesser? She knew what that word was, it was French. Roughly translating to Cease.

Why did she feel like she had something to do about it?

She looked back at her companion and gave a slow nod, the crease between the younger one's eyebrows was disappearing along with the sigh that accompanied it. She sat up, straightening herself against the tree. "Probably just tired." Her stomach rumbled. "And hungry." She added with a small blush on her face as she averted her gaze once again.

"Ah, Nana asked me to bring you this." She turned back and saw the said girl's favorite food, the Odenpan. Reaching for it appreciatively, she gave a quiet thanks and reminded herself to thank the Boost Hammer wielder when she would see her. She took slow bites, while her companion observed her. They were both now seating against the tree in complete silence.

The moment that she finished her food, she dismissed the dream that she had earlier and fixed her attention on her companion, "How are you feeling, Ciel? Do you want to talk about bullets?" She sincerely asked and chuckled the moment that girl nodded shyly. It was obviously the younger ones favorite topic.

It wasn't the first time that they spoke about it, in fact, it was usually their conversation starter. It was the only time that Ciel would willingly speak with Brynn listening with sincere interest. She would pick up a thing or two and would apply it to her own bullets. She didn't have much time to work on her own bullets as she was busy working on her melee skills. And missions that she was usually drowning in.

They began to chat about the said topic, Ciel suddenly stopped and gave a sheepish look to the older female, "I never got to ask you, Vice Captain, have you tried using the bullet editor?" All this time, she would constantly pester the older woman but not once did she ask if she actually knew how to use the bullet editor. She felt a bit ashamed regarding that but she waited for the other to respond.

"Actually, I have. I'm not that good at it however." She added humbly, most of the bullets that she used were customized by her. But she never saw them as anything special or extremely powerful. Just enough to distract or catch an Aragami's attention. Except for a couple of special bullets. Ciel nodded in response.

"Bullet crafting is an intense subject that tends to put off many God Eaters. I know that many say that it is above their pay grade," Brynn chuckles at this, "Which I am almost certain is a joke."

Brynn could attest to that, one would need to know the basic components of a bullet, kind of bullets, functions, even the angle of the bullets. It would cause frustration when bullets clash and you'd have to check everything again. One would need to be extremely meticulous about this, and would need to have patience.

"At the same time, it is too exciting to ignore! We can change trajectory, elemental effects. It gives us greater options when attacking at range." Brynn stopped her eyes from widening at the usually composed girl's excitement. The way her silver eyes lit up, the small smile that found itself to her lips, the way she clasped her hands together in excitement, she couldn't help but find herself staring.

Ciel took the stares the wrong way, she spoke fast and her pitch was higher than what it usually was, she turned to the side, her eyes dropping on her lap before she apologized, "I'm sorry… I got a bit excited." She attempted to hide the faint blush that was finding its way to her cheeks.

Her friend remained quiet, she was beginning to feel embarrassed, about to apologized again, she was beat to it, "Don't apologize, you're just so…" She braced herself for whatever words were about to come.

"Cute!" She found herself in the older woman's warm embrace. "You should show this side more, Ciel." The chagrin that she had from earlier had faded away, she found herself melting into the embrace. Feeling the older one's soft skin and how she gently squeezed her. She began to realize how Brynn was the only person that would be so casual with hugging her. Not that she minded, it soothed her.

Ciel felt the warmth disappear when she let go, Ciel's face seemed troubled urging her to ask, "Anything bothering you?" There was concern on her face, now she was worried that she may have made things awkward or her comrade uneasy.

"I was just wondering… If you aren't busy, of course…" Ciel trailed off again, still unsure of how stay say it, "If you could accompany me during my next experiment. I made a bullet that you might like." She waited with bated breath, hoping that the other would say yes.

She created a bullet that was for her leader's Blast Gun. She noticed how the other would rarely use her gun and figured that if she made that bullet, it might make range combat more enjoyable for her.

"It would be a pleasure." Brynn gave a slight bow, causing some of the barks of the tree to stick to her coat, she groaned upon noticing it. Ciel giggled at the other's dismay. She wasn't leaning against the tree, so her clothes wouldn't be as dirty.

"Wonderful! Thank you so much, this will be great!" She excitedly said, a bright smile appeared on her face, she quickly rose from where she was sitting, "I'd like to perform the test as soon as possible for optimal effect. Would you be ready by tomorrow?" She asked, taking into thought how Brynn just got out of the Brynn and probably needed some time to get used to everything.

"What about right now?" Her response took her by surprise. "I mean, only if you're ready." She added. She originally was supposed to eat, but since the odenpan had filled her up. She was free to do anything, she wanted to let out some steam anyways. Sitting around wouldn't do her any good.

"Are you sure? You might need to rest?" Ciel had a worried look on her face, although she yearned to be able to test those bullets at once.

As a response, Brynn stood up, she knew that if she stayed that dream would keep bugging her and distracting her, "Yeah, give me some time to restock. I'll meet you at the lobby, do set the mission with Fran." Ciel frantically nodded before rushing towards the elevator. Brynn chuckled and followed, they needed to head towards the same floor anyways.

* * *

Brynn stood in front of the terminal, suddenly recalling a certain doctor's words. She took note of the new option that she had in the menu which was labeled, 'craft'. Out of curiosity, she clicked on it and was met with multiple categories; melee, guns, shields. She hummed and decided to give it a go since her companion wasn't ready yet.

She opened the Melee category and was met with multiple weapons with different names. Her eyes widened in surprise upon seeing unfamiliar weapons that she could craft. After a few minutes of pondering, she went with a Wild Sword: Yang. Upon confirming, there was a pop up box that said, 'It will be completed in two days.'

She wasn't quite sure how that would work, where would Auricle go? She'll probably ask the doctor that requested her to try crafting. Just as she was about logout, the electronic letter popped up at the upper right corner.

She grew pale upon seeing who it was from.

 **From: Nessa Volere**

 **Subject: Crafting Equipment**

 **Message: Doing great, Eos! So you're finally deciding to listen to me. Hehe. I mean, after that dream you had earlier, I'm certain that you won't be able to resist. Am I right? Of course I am! Anyways, here's the thing. I'm sure that you're probably wondering what's going to happen with your precious Scythe the moment that you change into that mini Chi-You wing. Basically, you have a special storage that has been designed by your favorite doctor. It will be sent there and maintained there for the meantime that it is inactive. Don't worry about it getting damaged, defective or anything. Just enjoy using your new weapon!**

 **Anyways, that's it. You're getting close to knowing everything. Did you have fun with Hyperion and Theia? Well, that's it for today. Until we meet again!**

 **Your favorite, Nessa**

'What the fuck?' Creeped out was an understatement, she couldn't even think and dream in privacy now. She couldn't believe how messed up everything currently was. Shaking her head, she logged out and began to make her way towards the storage area.

She needed to let release some steam. A lot of steam.

* * *

"DAMN YOU!" An angered scream erupted from her the moment that the Gboro-Gboro released a condensed ball of water at her. It narrowly missed her, she dodged just in time. She heard the water exploding behind her.

She ran, her scythe hanging by her side. She was charging for a cleave fang, her legs were running towards the beast at pace that was faster than a regular human. With her teeth clenched together, she swung the scythe, a trail of black and red following in it.

"I'll tear right through you!" She swung multiple times, managing to break through the amphibian's scales. She raised it above and brought it down quickly, twisting a bit to earn a bit of momentum, she dug her heels into the floor and pulled the blade backward. Earning a screech of pain from the Gboro-Gboro.

Brynn's eyes widened in response as the Aragami rammed at her, knocking her to the side. It was about to chomp down on her, its large teeth threatening her as she stared into its black hole of a mouth. She scrambled to get up, to move to the side to avoid the attack. There was something heavy on her leg, she cursed loudly when she saw that a rock had landed on top of it.

She was trapped.

Bracing herself for the impact, she clenched her eyes and thought about how ridiculous was the way she was going to go. Instead of the aragami biting down on her, she saw it flail wildly as multiple bullets rammed into it.

After a couple of seconds, it gave one last roar before dropping to the ground dead. Behind it, she saw Ciel with her God Arc in its gun form. She rushed towards her with a look of concern on her face.

"Vice Captain, can you stand?" She asked, kneeling down in order to examine her comrade. She gasped upon seeing the rock that had trapped one of her legs. She moved over to it and pushed it away.

Brynn nearly panicked, believing that she had been stolen of the ability to stand. The moment that she tried, she nearly fell but was supported by the younger girl. With the help of Ciel, she got back on her feet, albeit a bit wobbly.

"I apologize for arriving so late." The two had decided to split up in order to cover more ground. Brynn shook her head and scolded the girl, "Don't apologize, it was my fault for being careless. You arrived in the nick of time." She gave a gentle smile.

Upon requesting for a ride back home, the two of them decided to stay by one of the safe places in order for Ciel to check on her bullets. The younger one had been looking at them for quite some time now and it was worrying her.

"Are you alright?" Brynn asked, crouching down to Ciel's level. She noticed the different bullets that the other had in her hands. She assumed that the other was probably feeling unwell.

"I'm fine… It's just that the bullets, they seemed strange, but they weren't?" She vacillated, giving Brynn a glance before looking back towards her God Arc. "I can't quite describe it, it was unusual, but in a good way, I suppose."

Brynn took a closer look, there was nothing different about the bullets. They seemed pretty normal. "I honestly can't see anything wrong about them, but knowing you, you'll figure it out sooner or later." She gave a supportive smile and placed a hand over the other's shoulder. "We could go out on another mission to test them out." She offered, earning a smile from the other.

"Alright, thank you for coming out to help today. I really appreciate it." The two of them both stood up, getting ready to head back to Friar.

* * *

Brynn recalled the email that had been sent to her earlier, the strange names that accompanied it, as well as the project that had been mentioned in her dream. She found herself, lying down on her stomach, in a certain black haired man's bed.

"And you're here because?" Gil asked as he sat on one of the couches, a can of beer in his hand while he shot the girl a questioning look. He figured that she had forgotten that he still wasn't down scolding her yet.

Brynn continued to type on the laptop that belonged to the male. She hummed before responding, "Because you have a laptop and I'm stuck with the terminal. I want to lie down while making reports, dummy." She insulted him which earned her a grunt. The other continued to sip on his beer can while casually observing the girl.

She was clad in clothes that were once again different, she had the habit of crafting clothes that differed in style. It wasn't that they didn't do that as well, they all changed into different outfits each day, however they did have favorites. Brynn was a different case.

She had something new to wear everyday.

"Maybe if you saved up for a laptop instead of buying clothes, you wouldn't need to sneak in here." This earned him a glare from the other, he was unaffected by it however.

"HEY! That's why I have you and Julius, so that I can spend my money on clothes instead." She grunted and turned back to her report, "Plus, I'm certain that you want me here anyways." She snickered upon hearing the other cough. Probably choking on his beer.

"If saying that helps you sleep better at night." He rolled his eyes upon recovering from what the other said. He didn't mind Brynn's company but the way that she said it, he took it the wrong way. He brought down his cap to hide the faint blush that was creeping on to his face. Fortunately, the other was busy typing away on his laptop.

The two stayed in silence, only the laptop's keys could be heard. Gil stood and reached for something that was hidden by the side of his terminal. Brynn looked up upon noticing the movement that she made and she gasped in excitement.

The guitar was a Gibson Les Paul, crafted with heavy wood that felt just right in Gil's hands, tones were rich and full.

"You can play?" She asked, completely ignoring the laptop that she once was busy with. Gil mumbled a reply.

"Only a few songs." Instruments were rare nowadays, he was lucky that he managed to get his hands on one. A guitar that once belonged to his father who had passed away not too long ago. He settled back on where he was previously sitting, he noticed the curious stares that his younger teammate gave him.

"What?"

"Play something." Brynn demanded, he sighed. Thinking of a song to play. When he said a few, he meant more than 50. He didn't seem like it, but he was someone that was fond of music, he would often play songs whenever he was alone. Unfortunately, his Vice Captain had barged into his room to steal his laptop.

A smirk found its way on his face as he began to pluck the nylon strings. The sweet refrain spoke a musical language that appealed to the two in the room, the strumming and plucking sound had hypnotic quality that brought Brynn into a state of pure bliss. She gasped upon realizing the song.

" _I met you in the dark, you lit me up._

 _You made me feel as though I was enough._

 _We danced the night away, we drank too much._

 _I held your hair back when, you were throwing up."_

She began to sing the first few lines, her eyes closed as she found herself drowning in the guitar's melody.

" _Then you smiled over your shoulder, for a minute, I was stone-cold sober._

 _I pulled you closer to my chest._

 _And you asked me to stay over._

 _I said, I already told ya,_

 _I think that you should get some rest."_

Gil half focused on the guitar as he was at awe with the girl's voice. It wasn't those voices that were loud and overbearing. It was smooth, clear and quiet, yet powerful. The song that he chose had clearly matched the kind of voice that she had.

" _I knew I loved you then,_

 _But you'd never know._

 _Cause I played it cool when I was scared of letting go._

 _I know I needed you, but I never showed._

 _But I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old._

 _Just say you won't let go._

 _Just say you won't let go."_

The two of them continued until the end of the song, Brynn couldn't help but sigh in relief. It's been quite awhile since she felt the kind of peace that music had brought her. That song was something new to her as she heard it in the Norn. It didn't take her long to memorize the lyrics of the song as she constantly listened to it.

"You play well." She complimented with a grin, going back to finish her report which was half finished.

"You sing well." Gil replied, he continued to play and even sing a few more songs with Brynn humming along to it. She needed to finish the rest of the reports before she could allow herself to get carried away.

"You know," Brynn began after pressing save on the last report, she sent it to Julius. "You could be an artist or something, instead of being a God Eater." She chuckled a bit, not noticing the sad look that appeared on the others face. He began to think of how if that happened, he wouldn't have been forced to kill her.

Gil quickly removed that look on his face, dismissing the thought and gave a gentle and rare smile. His deep voice resonating throughout the room the same way his guitar did, "Maybe." He stood up and placed it back on its stand, Brynn began to question how she had not noticed it earlier.

Brynn stood up and slumped against the couch that the male was sitting on, she grabbed the half empty beer can that was on the table and took a swing. Gil stared at her with disbelief the moment that he sat down. "You really have no boundaries." She shrugged her shoulders before shooting him a cocky smile.

"Scared of my saliva?" She teased him, earning herself an eyeroll.

She nearly fainted at what the other had said, "I wouldn't be scared even if it came straight from your lips." She nearly lost her composure upon hearing that, the other taking the opportunity to steal his beer back.

"I was just kidding, Vice Captain." He called her by her title, bringing the beer can to his lips as he noticed her faint scent had lingered on it. He couldn't help but smirk as she saw her jaw drop with his side glance. "Aren't you the one who's scared?" He mocked her which caused her face to burn even brighter. She cursed and stood up, stomping towards the door.

"I hate you!" She walked out and slammed the door. Gil let out a series of chuckles after processing the girl's reaction.

That certainly wasn't the reaction that he was expecting from the girl. So it was pretty easy to get on her nerves after all.

 **Extended Ending:**

Julius was walking back towards his room when he heard the strumming of a guitar and a girl's voice coming from Gil's room. It had piqued his interest, so he slowly made his way towards the room and with enhanced hearing, listened.

It was Brynn. What was she doing in _his_ room. He couldn't help but clench his teeth and grit it in annoyance. He continued to listen in a bit, taking in bits of their conversation.

Despite how cold he acted towards the girl previously, he couldn't deny that he was growing somewhat attached. She was a fun and interesting personality, the fact that she was in another's room had brought him great annoyance.

Especially since it was Gil, someone who he considered to be too close to the girl. Of course, he kept quiet about that. He wouldn't dare tell anyone about that. He prioritized being professional over silly and trivial feelings.

"Scared of my saliva?" His eyes widened upon hearing what the girl had said. What were they doing?

"I wouldn't be scared even if it came straight from your lips." He felt his blood boil, he was this close to barging inside the room, completely ignoring the last few exchange of lines. The door had slammed open, he was met with a fuming Vice Captain.

"A-Ah! Captain, you didn't hear anything, right?" He noticed how flustered the girl was, he shook his head in denial, a bit to quickly if he must say.

"I was just heading back to the room." He felt a blush creep its way to his face. "G-Goodnight, Vice Captain." He turned and began to walk away. He mentally cursed himself for stuttering.

"Uhm! Just saying that it's probably not what you thought it was." He heard the girl shout as he slid inside the room, he sighed in relief.

He certainly needed to do something about what he was feeling. He couldn't be jealous, right? He was just concerned about the Vice Captain.

 **A/N - I don't own GE2RB or the song 'Say You Won't Let Go'. I couldn't think of another song. LOL. Anyways, I can't be the only one who badly ships the protagonist with Julius, right? I mean, he did refer to her/him as "My Vice Captain", *spoiler alert* technically hold hands during the time he was going to battle the devouring apocalypse, and he was saved by the protagonist. Fdklfj. I'm sorry, I just think that they're a perfect pair.**

 **Shout out to** **Daemon of Crawling Tentacles for being the first person to review! I sent you a pm regarding your questions. :D**


	13. Chapter 12

It had been a few days since that incident between Gil and Brynn happened. The two, along with the other members of Blood (with the exception of the captain) were currently lounging around Friar's lobby. The Vice Captain had just came from the upper lobby, after casually chatting with Fran.

"I'm telling you, there's more to her than just being an idol. I mean, c'mon." Romeo rapidly waved his arms in the air as if trying to intensify his reasoning out. He stopped midway upon noticing the arrival of the Vice Captain, "Yo, Brynn!" He was the only one that called her by her first name, instead of Vice Captain.

Not that she cared, she actually prefered that. She gave him a warm smile before stopping in her tracks the moment that the speakers had began echoing words.

 **"Attention, all aboard Friar. We are currently moving through a red rainstorm. Access to the exterior has been temporarily restricted."** The line was repeated a few more times before it died down.

Nana was the first to react, "Message received, ma'am! Good boys and girls don't go out in the rain." She joked with a small smile on her face following. Brynn couldn't help but find the flaw in the words.

Brynn definitely wasn't a good girl, in fact, she was a troublemaker. She was tempted to do things that she knew she wasn't supposed to do. Like barge into random member's rooms and steal food or use their stuff.

She, however, definitely wasn't going to do that with a certain brown haired man. She gulped at the thought while giving a side glance towards the man.

"It certainly won't let up." He remarked, currently leaning against the electronic merchant where they would buy their materials. Ciel turned towards him, causing her to brush against the Vice Captain who had sat beside her.

"It's been this way ever since we entered the Far East. At least we should arrive at the branch soon."

Wait, they were going to the Far East? Why wasn't she informed of this? Everyone began to notice the confused look on Brynn's face.

"Vice Captain, don't tell me that you don't know?" Came Nana's surprised voice. Great, even Nana knew. She shook her head no.

Ciel was next to respond, "It was on the note that was left on our desks." Brynn began to think deeply of a note. Her eyes lit up.

"Ah! The one that I threw away!" She voiced out, earning a sigh from Gil and laughter from Romeo and Nana. Even Ciel couldn't help but crack a smile. "What? I thought that it was trash." She added, clearly not caring about what the others were thinking of.

"The Red Rain…" Romeo began, drawing all the attention to him, "That stuff was the stuff that came down before, right? While we were rescuing Ciel. I mean, is the Red Rain really as bad as all that?" Brynn cringed at the memory. She remained silent and waited for the youngest to answer. She knew quite little about the Red Rain before she actually encountered it. After reading about it on NORN, she began to understand how dangerous it actually was.

Before Ciel could answer, Nana affirmed with a hum, "Mmhm! It gives people a disease called…" She paused, bringing a hand near her face as she stared up at the ceiling, trying to remember the word, "It's called… What's it called again?" She gave up after being unable to remember the name.

"The Black Plague." Both Ciel and Brynn came to the poorly dressed girl's aid. Brynn looked at Ciel for her to continue the explanation, "It shares its name with an ancient epidemic. Earned by the black scars that form. Any contact with the rain could cause it." Everyone listened to her explanation.

"There's no known treatment, even symptoms can't be suppressed, anyone who contacts it, is destined to die." Brynn continued, remembering what she had read on the Norn database. After those words, she saw the male swallow the lump that had formed in his throat.

"So, I just have to stay dry, right?" He confirmed with a look of fear on his face. Brynn gave a low chuckle.

"Getting sick is the worst! You lose all your appetite." Nana piped in, obviously dreaming about food. Something that probably occupied her mind 24/7.

The five continued to idly chat, when the speaker began to sprout out words again, **"Friar has cleared the Red Rain and is continuing south through Far East territory. Repeat, Friar has cleared the Red Rain and is continuing south through Far East territory."**

"Oh! We've almost arrived." Brynn remarked before standing up. She stretched, "I have to finish some things. See you all later." She walked towards the elevator that led to the housing units.

She was somewhat relieved, about multiple things. First, she wasn't having any strange dreams lately or any appearances from the strange brunette. The other was that there wasn't much tension from her team and her. Even the incident that happened a few days ago was nearly forgotten.

She refused to remember it.

Even the Captain was going back to what he was before, still professional as ever, but better than awkward or tense. He would return to call her to go on missions and paperwork.

 _"Vice Captain?" Her Captain called her, urging her to look away from the orange hues that the sun descending gave the ocean waters. She tilted her head to the side waiting for him to continue._

 _"What is it, Captain?" She asked, watching as the male approach her. He just finished extracting the Chi-You's core. Their companions were most likely done with the Konguo on the other side of the carrier. The growls and roars had died down a few minutes ago._

 _She couldn't help but notice the hesitant look on her leader's face. He was standing beside her now, looking at the same sight that she had been greatly admiring earlier._

 _"What happened between you and Gil the other night?" She nearly choked on air upon hearing what the male said. Her eyes widened as she looked at him with an incredulous look. How could he still remember that?_

 _She cleared her throat before turning back to the setting sun, she couldn't help but sigh ast how peaceful things were looking. Despite them living in this antiutopia world, there was still a tinge of peace, tranquility and beauty if one would look hard enough._

 _"Nothing." She answered, her voice firm and an amused smile tugging on her lips. "I was teasing him then he teased back." She couldn't help but think, how at that moment, what occured the other day seemed funny. Perhaps, it was only due to the fact that her Captain was asking. He wasn't one to pry after all._

 _"I see." Satisfied with the answer, he didn't press anything anymore. They remained in the silence for a few meager seconds, when Brynn broke the silence._

 _"Why so curious, Captain?" She held back her snicker, pretending to remain serious however anticipating whatever reaction the captain may have._

 _Julius gave a short answer, "I was just making sure that everything is in order. That there isn't any animosity between the members." She was disappointed with his answer, so she merely hummed in response before turning her attention to the view._

 _Her Captain was astonishing. Quite erratic, actually. Whenever she would tease him, he would either be extremely flustered or would be nonchalant about it. She made a hunch that he was just getting used to her playful antics._

 _She would need to work harder on them. Even Gil was catching up._

 _"Captain, we're here!" They both spun around slowly and was met with Ciel and Nana. Nana had a wide grin on her face, her trademark Odenpan in one hand and Boost Hammer in the other. Ciel had her usual poker face on as they approached._

 _Julius nodded in acknowledgement, activating his comm. "Requesting for pick up, both targets have been eradicated and all Blood Members have regrouped."_

 _ **"Pick up is on the way. ETA, 15 minutes."**_

She arrived in her room which seemed to have less items than it had before. Their items have been packed and will be brought to their respective rooms when they arrive in the Far East. Curiosity arose to her, was the Far East branch similar to Friar? Or was Emil not exaggerating when he said that Friar was truly a work of art.

She walked over to her terminal, deciding that she would use the time to browse through Norn. A random thought crossed her mind.

"Eos?" That was the name that the brunette had called her. She admit, that she was feeling curious, there was another name that she mentioned and two other names in the email that she sent. She decided to see if the database had anything regarding the name.

She typed in the name, and to her luck, an archive appeared that was titled Greek Mythology. One of its subtopics was the name Eos. Waiting for it to load, she couldn't help but feel even more curious than she was before.

 **EOS**

 **\- Rosy-fingered Goddess of the Dawn.**

 **\- Numbered amongst the second-generation Titan Gods.**

 **\- Parents were Hyperion and Theia.**

'Weren't those the name in the email? Could this mean that? Not, that would be ridiculous.'

 **\- Had an insatiable desire for handsome young men.**

'What the fuck?' She couldn't help but reread the line a couple more times before proceeding. 'Thirsty hoe.'

 **\- Brings up the light of day from the east.**

 **\- A symbol of a new beginning.**

Unable to find any connection between her and the Goddess, she decided to move on to the next name. If she could recall correctly, it was Aion. A suggestion on the database had proved her to be correct.

 **AION**

 **\- The Primordial God of Time.**

 **\- Associated with eternity and everlasting tiem.**

 **\- Was associated with the zodiac and constellations.**

She didn't know anyone who was like this at all. But the strange girl did say that she almost slipped. Was she close to revealing someone that she had known in the past? Or maybe someone that she knew now.

She chuckled lowly the moment that she realized how the mysterious girl was spinning her head around. Realizing that she may have just decided to mess with her or something along those lines. The research that she did, she didn't consider it as wasted time, she knew a bit of Greek Mythology, she came across it a few times in the Norn database. Adding a bit more to what she knew wouldn't hurt. After all, it was interesting how Aragami actually took the form of the Gods that humans once worshipped before. Like how the Kongou's name was derived from something that related to Hindu mythology. The Sariel deusphage, Zeus, was also related to Greek Mythology.

A knock on her door had released her from her reverie. She turned to it in curiosity after logging out of the terminal. "Come in." She gently, yet loudly enough, announced. The opened with a soft creaking sound.

"Sorry to disturb you, Vice Captain." It was Julius, he made his way inside the room, closing the door. Brynn stepped away from her terminal and walked over to the male, with a small smile on her face.

"You aren't disturbing me, Julius." She dared to call him by his first name. "Why don't you sit? I'll make you some coffee." She offered and didn't miss the small crinkle in his eyes. The older one gave in and took a seat on one of the couches that she had in her room.

Her room was nothing like his. It was nearly half the size. In fact, she had the smallest room among them all. It didn't bother her much, she didn't have a lot of things to begin with, besides the clothes that she had been crafting recently, the books that she had been collecting from the abandoned city.

Her twin-sized bed was fitted with orange, red and white bedsheets, with two pillows that were placed on top of one another. Her, being quite a restless sleeper, had fallen off a couple times. Her teammates would question the fact why she had a few random bruises here and there. Of course, her excuse would be that she got them from battling Aragami. It was convincing enough for them.

Beside it was a small, oak nightstand that had a square lampshade settled on top of it. Along with an alarm clock, that had a few cracks on the glass. She also had a desk which was usually filled with papers that the Captain would pass on to her. Above it were shelves that contained the few books that she had.

Although she did not have a kitchen, she had a fridge and a coffee maker which was often in use. She made her way over to the said coffee maker and began to prepare the drink that was to be served to her guest. The smell of coffee began to fill the room within a couple of minutes.

The Captain stared at the petite figure that was facing in the opposite direction, obviously focused on the task that she was currently working on. She was clad in Blood's uniform. They all were ordered to change into it, just for when they arrive at the Far East Branch as they would be meeting with the director.

Her ash blonde hair had been tied in a messy bun, instead of the usual waves that it was in. With her back turned, he could only see the second layer that served as some sort of a jacket over the tight fitting aquamarine top. Instead of the pants that was provided for the males, a pair of thigh length stockings/boots that revealed a bit of skin.

"Three teaspoons of sugar, right?" The voiced had roused him from his thoughts, he nodded. Eyes slightly widening the moment that he realized that she had looked back at him. She didn't notice him staring right?

"Yes. You know me quite well, Vice Captain." He gave a small smile before averting his eyes. He stared at the collection of books that she had, standing up and making his way over to it.

"You know, I didn't peg you as someone who was fond of sweet things." He picked a book from the shelf, it was one about animals and plants.

He flipped through the pages before answering, "Why is that?"

He heard the metal spoon that she was stirring clink against the porcelain cup where she made the coffee. Realizing that she was done, he stuffed the book back from where he got it. Turning on his heel and making his way back to where he was previously seated. Brynn sat in front of him and placed the cup down. He graciously took it into his hands and sipped.

"Well, you didn't seem like someone who was into sweets." She honestly answered, recalling the time that she questioned if he would possibly like the dessert that she made. "I guess that I made the right choice of making you that Semifreddo back then." She beamed at the memory. Julius softly chuckled.

"Ah, yes. Do make some again when you find the time." He urged her, placing the cup back down on the small plate that it came with. She nodded in response, flashing a grin.

"Sure, when we aren't flooded with paperwork and missions." This caused the other to sigh in agreement. Ever since they began to make their way towards the Far East, their workload had doubled. This day was the only day that they didn't have a mission. Blood was somehow relieved.

"It has been quite taxing the past few days." He added, she hummed in response. "I find it ironic, that for someone who's quite good at making desserts, you aren't quite fond of sweets." This elicited a chuckle from the girl, her shoulders slightly relaxing against the backrest.

"So you noticed." She remarked. The small smile never fading from her lips.

Julius reciprocated the smile, "It isn't quite hard, especially since you would willingly forfeit your dessert rations to me."

"It's because you'd tease me about gaining weight." She feigned a hurt expression which managed to convince the male.

"I apologize, did it really cause you that much distress when I said that?" He remembered the time that he had to carry her. It was a few weeks back. One of the first few missions that he had with her.

Brynn threw back her head in laughter, further confusing her companion. "It was a joke, Captain. Don't worry about it." This somehow lifted the weight on his shoulders. He couldn't bear the thought of causing emotional distress to his colleagues.

He surely would have to make up for it.

"I think that I'm just picky." She confessed. Earning a quizzical look from the male. "I blame the Norn, I may have been reading through different 'food reviews' that they had before. I saw a couple of desserts that I think don't exist anymore." She said with longing on her face. "Like, they have this thing called 'Ice Cream', it's supposingly a frozen dessert but not like the cake that I made."

He couldn't help but notice how animated she was, "Then there are these things called dango? They look like round balls that come in green, white and pink." She continued to ramble on about the different food that she would see in the database.

"Perhaps, if we have the time, we could explore the ghetto and small city located in the Far East." Her face lit up like a child receiving a present on Christmas.

"That would be nice." She concurred. Before she could continue their discussion, her phone vibrated. She opened it and sighed in disappointment.

"Looks like we'll have to continue this conversation some other time, Captain. Dr. Rachel is calling for me." She stood up, dusting off the invisible dust on her clothes. "Take your time to finish the coffee. I'll clean it up when I get back."

With that being said, she made her way out of the room. Leaving the Captain to his own thoughts.

Friar came to a stop, in front of a large wall that had been constructed by Fenrir itself. A wall that was nearly the size of the mobile fortress. Blood had made their way towards the gate, greeted by different guards that willingly let them in.

The moment that they were inside, a commotion had begun outside the walls.

"What do you mean you won't let us in?!" Came an angry shout from an adult man. Brynn had stopped in her tracks to watch what was going on. There stood a family, the parents, a child, and a baby. They all had looks of agony on their faces.

"I'm sorry, sir." The guard muttered an insincere apology. As if he had repeated the lines a few times. "You'll have to head towards the other satellite bases. It's a few miles from here." He pointed towards the area which was north east from the gate. Brynn couldn't help but cock her head in wonder. "The shuttle will be picking up people in a few minutes."

"Just because none of us can be God Eaters? Isn't that unfair? I'm sure that the condition of the place there isn't as good as here." The woman complained, now Brynn couldn't tell who was right or wrong.

She continued to watch things unfold, when a medium sized van arrived. Coming out from it, was the silver-haired woman that she had met before. She managed to quell the argument and had the family ride inside the van. They began to make their way towards the direction that the guard had pointed at earlier.

"Hey, it's you again." Brynn perked up the moment that the other girl had become aware of her. She sauntered towards her, silver locks gently blowing in the breeze that somehow made its way inside the armored walls. Brynn gave a nod.

"Hello, Ms. Alisa?" She scrunched her eyebrow a bit in an attempt to remember the name. The shorter woman gave a smile of appreciation, at the fact that the girl had remembered her.

"Alisa is fine, are you lost?" She couldn't help but ask, the girl was alone after all. Brynn turned, her eyes widened when her teammates were no longer in sight.

She sighed before turning back to the Russian, "Looks like my unit went ahead." She mumbled something inaudible. "I must look like a lost puppy or something." This earned her a giggle from the silvette.

"Well then, why don't we walk together? I am heading back to the den to make a report anyways." Brynn flashed an appreciative grin at the offer. The two began to walk at a quick pace towards the largest building, ironically, the blonde had only noticed now.

They walked passed multiple houses and stalls. Children ran around, laughing freely with delight on their faces. Women and men casually spoke with each other, as if none of them had a problem in a world. She sighed, her sigh had not gone unnoticed by her companion.

"I know what you're thinking." She began, observing the people around her as well, but with a cheerful look on her face. "That it must be nice to be normal." Brynn nodded in agreement, it was still dangerous to be in the ghetto, but having to face death everyday. It wasn't something that one could get used to.

"Our line of work is quite taxing." The silvette continued as they hiked their way towards the den. "But, I wouldn't give up my job for anything else." Brynn faced the other, with a look of surprise on her face. She didn't expect to hear that from the woman. But there was a glint of determination on the other's face.

"We may be putting ourselves in danger, but somehow, we're going to find a way to tip the battle towards our favor. It may seem impossible now, but we'll find a way somehow." She continued, as if she knew something. Brynn didn't press her on and merely listened. "If we weren't doing our job, then we wouldn't have discovered ways to up our defenses and resources, don't you think? Somehow, someday, all our efforts won't be in vain."

Hope. That's what she saw in the other girl. Not once had she considered these things. Being in Friar for so long, it limited the contact that she had with other people. With civilians. With people that needed to be protected. She had nearly forgotten that was the purpose of her occupation.

To protect, to protect the people from the gods that had turned their backs on them.

"You're quite hopeful." She commented, a smile was on her face, "I like that." She had nothing else to say, the girl had managed to find her way into her heart with the tender words that she told her. This resulted with a small sigh. A sigh that showed that someone was reminiscing.

Brynn didn't miss the forlorn look that the other was trying to mask. The facade that she was putting on wasn't enough to deceive her.

"It was just something that an old friend would always tell me."

 **A/N - See the connections that I made with Aion? A certain someone's name means Nectar of Immortality in Sanskrit. Thus relating to Aion who is the God of Time, mostly in terms of eternity. Uhm, not quite sure if you guys get the reference. Since technically, when you are an immortal, you live forever right? Which is like being an immortal. Also the Zodiac signs, which are stars, which are near the moon. Fjdk. Hope that you all enjoyed this chappie! Oh, I know that I sucked with describing the blood outfit. I mean, are those boots of stockings? Fjdkl.**


	14. Chapter 13

Brynn trailed behind the silvette as they navigated the den's hallways. It had vintage and antediluvian feel to it, unlike the mobile fortress that she had grown accustomed to. The heels of their boots thumped against the carpeted floors, it was the only thing that could be heard as the duo proceeded in silence.

The moment that she stepped into the Den, she had already found herself comfortable. The lobby was lively and bright, with its brownish hues and the presence of more people. People that would give smiles whenever she would pass by. God Eaters, mechanics, and just normal people.

It was bustling with energy, with life. A refreshing sight after seeing the modern, sleek, yet dreary furnishing that her previous home had. Well, if she could call that place home. The Den was warmer and wasn't as dull. It was worthy of being called a home.

She nearly forgot that she was an instrument in a war that had no end in sight. Nearly.

"We're here." She had been roused from her thoughts the moment that they came to a stop. It was the end of the long hallway, a big wooden door was what she came face to face with. Its lower part was slightly hidden by the other girl's smaller frame.

Alisa knocked on the door thrice before slowly opening it. All eyes turned to her before they noticed Brynn who had been sheepishly looking from behind the Russian. They let themselves in, the door closing with a soft thud.

Julius gave a curt nod and a small smile curled on his lips, "Ah, Vice Captain, we presumed that you wanted to explore the ghetto a little bit. We knew that you would find your way here anyways." She stopped herself from rolling her eyes, they just forgot about her. She would definitely bite his ear off later.

Not in that way.

"You weren't with us?" Romeo scratched the back of his head. "I didn't notice." Nana hummed in agreement.

She didn't know whether to feel hurt or murderous. She gave the male a sweet smile, by sweet she meant a 'I'm-going-to-feed-you-to-a-Vajra' kind of smile. The young Italian shrinked at the sight of it.

"Alisa," The man seated behind the desk had caught her attention, the Silvette beside her stood straighter, "I thank you for bringing our guest. I assume that you have completed the reports?" Alisa nodded.

"Yes, Do- Director." She corrected herself.

"I'll look into them later." He affirmed, his fox-like features had become more evident to Brynn as a smile appeared on his face, his already small eyes decreasing more in size. He had unruly grey hair, pale skin, and was clad in brown garments that resembled robes or what she read as a 'kimono'*. In comparison to the clothes that the people had on earlier, it made him stand out.

A pair of glasses were perched on his nose and another 3 pairs hung loosely around his neck by the metallic chains that they were attached to.

Certainly was an interesting character.

Turning back to the Captain he began, "I would like to first thank you all for coming on such short notice. I am Paylor Sakaki, the director of the Far East Branch." He gave a small nod, the smile that he had never fading away, "I have heard great things about your unit." He looked towards each one of them, Brynn couldn't help but notice that his eyes seemed to linger on her a bit longer.

Julius took the opportunity to introduce himself, "I am Julius Visconti, Captain of the Blood Special Forces." He reciprocated the curt nod.

"When I heard that Emil rescued you from certain doom, I just had to meet you face to face." They gave him a stupefied look. Besides Brynn who had a blank look on her face, same went for Julius and Ciel.

Nana was the first to break the silence that had crawled its way into the room, "Eh? But it was our Vice Captain that faced the Psion." The Far East Director turned to face the latecomer. Brynn didn't miss the mischievous look that played on his face. Her blood ran cold.

Something wasn't quite right.

"Ah so it was you after all? I thought as much. You have my thanks!" The look had disappeared as he thanked her. Brynn didn't move an inch, she continued to listen.

He then cleared his throat, as if a signal that things were just about to get serious. "You're obviously a talented group." He added in a compliment, "I don't want to waste a moment of that talent. Let's get you on a mission."

The ashen blonde girl suppressed the groan of annoyance that was threatening to release itself. She knew that they weren't on vacation, but couldn't they have even a small incy tiny break? They literally just stepped foot into the branch and now they had to go on a mission?

She knew that complaining wouldn't do anything, her peripheral vision had caught the questioning look that her Captain was giving her. He must have noticed the look of distress that was on her face.

He saw right through her, the way that she tapped her fingers against her leg's pale skin, the way her lips were pursed together to indicate her defiance, how her eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly. Within the few months that they had known each other, he was beginning to pick up the small body signals that she would send. He knew that she was upset over the fact that they were immediately being tossed out for a mission. But he also knew that she was too stubborn to back down from a task, especially one that dealt with Aragami.

She was too headstrong and determined. Thus resulting with her often rushing into battle, thankfully, there hasn't been much casualties asides from her forgetting about her condition.

The director continued to explain what the branch was currently facing, a Psion Epidemic. They had been gathering around the front lines and they required assistance from his unit.

The briefing was nearly coming to an end when the door loudly opened, they all turned towards the orange male that was clad in a white coat. One similar to the Russian in the room. He wore orange colored pants that had a long black stripe and by its cuffs were vertical zippers. Underneath the sleeveless coat was a pale yellow top. His orange hair had been adorned with a yellow bandana which failed to keep his bangs from brushing against his face.

"Yo, Doc! I have the line up- woah!" He looked around excitedly, a wide grin revealing his pearly white teeth and a look of awe was evident on his face. "Is this the Blood Unit?" He questioned, earning a disapproving sigh from the Silvette that stood a few feet from him.

"Thank you, Kota. And yes, this is Blood." It was as if the words fueled the male's excitement even more.

He raised the clipboard that he was holding with one hand, "Great to meet you! I'm Kota Fujiki, Captain of the Far East Branch's 1st Unit." He introduced himself, the smile on his face and look of mirth in his eyes never fading away.

Brynn couldn't believe that someone as lively as him was a Captain. She had grown used to the well tempered Julius who seemed to be the total opposite of the young male that was in front of them. The two of them were interacting with each other now. She couldn't help but chuckle silently at the fact that the Far East was the polar opposite of Friar.

"Awesome!" He exclaimed after Julius finished introducing himself, "I'm still organizing the Welcome Bash, so feel free to look around 'til we're good to go!" Nana and Romeo's faces lit up at what he announced.

Nana, who was nearest to him, asked, "A party? For us? What kind of food are you gonna have? Will it be delicious? I bet it will!" The dreamy look on her face had not gone unnoticed. The blackette had been hearing rumors about the food that the Far East branch served. The best, according to the random articles that were floating around Norn. She was looking forward to confirming that hearsay.

Her 'best friend' sporting the beanie's look of delight changed to one of annoyance, "You can't just blurt that out, Nana! It's rude." Brynn no longer stopped herself from rolling her eyes. He was just as rude. Nana didn't mind anyways, she continued to rain questions on the newcomer.

"You'll have to wait and see!" He teased with a small wink, about to turn around in order to make an exit, "Prep is taking some time since-" He trailed off when his eyes met with brownish green eyes met with the caramel ones that Brynn sported. He blinked a few times, not noticing the warning that Alisa was giving him before pouncing on the girl and pulling her into a tight hug.

"Saerin! You're alive! Where the heck have you been for so long? They've all been telling me that you're dead but I know that you're too stubborn to die with just that! And you would never leave when you said that you would watch Bugarally with me!" He continued to ramble on while clutching over to the squirming girl. She pounded her fist on his chest in an attempt to break free, however the male's excitement was obviously greater than her physical capabilities.

'If I wasn't dead back then I'm sure that I'll die of suffocation right now!' She continued to squirm but the male tightened his grip.

"I'm finally taller than you! We have lots of catching up to-"

"Kota!" A loud smack and thud was heard throughout the room. Brynn was no longer suffocating and in an iron grip which was called a 'hug'. Taking deep breaths, she glanced down at the male who was writhing in pain. On the floor. He was trying to reach for the spot on his back which had been hit by the silvette.

Alisa saw this coming, she hadn't reacted quickly enough to stop the unit leader from attacking their friend's doppelganger. She sighed in disappointment for the nth time that day, "She isn't Saerin, apologize immediately." She ordered.

'Saerin?' Brynn couldn't help but grow even more confused.

Kota stood up slowly, managing to regain his composure as he scratched the back of his head. Giving a sheepish grin in the process and held up a peace sign. "I may have gotten overwhelmed, I'm sorry." He gave a small smile before turning back to the Blood Captain, not waiting for an answer.

"I guess that we'll be seeing each other pretty soon." He turned on his heel and made his way out, not noticing the death glare that the Blood Captain was discreetly doing.

"Geez, why do I feel like adolescent Soma is around." He mumbled, loud enough for the others to hear as he shut the doors behind him.

The Russian faced Brynn, "I apologize for his behavior, you just resemble a friend that we had before." She gave a delicate smile that Brynn reciprocated. "I wasn't expecting him to react in that way however."

Brynn gave a small smile, the small that masked the curiosity that was tearing away at her. Who exactly was this Saerin girl?

"We will head out in 30 minutes." Julius' voice rang through the hallway the moment that they stepped out of the director's office. The unit, now devoid of the members of Cradle, were getting ready for the mission that had been assigned to them by the director.

Although Brynn was trying to remain focused, she was having some difficulty. First, the curiosity was eating away at her, she wanted to ask but couldn't bring herself to do so. Second, they haven't eaten since they arrived. She was dying to try the good food that the branch was presumed to have.

She didn't linger in her thoughts for too long as a stern voice had caused her to blink a couple of times, "I will review the data that the director has provided with Ciel." Grey eyes were now fixed upon her, "Vice Captain, report to the operator and proceed to the God Arc storage room." He shot her knowing look. "We will meet you there." Brynn gave a curt nod, her lips in a thin line.

With that being said, they went their own ways, Ciel and Julius heading to one of the lounge rooms that had been provided for Blood. Nana sprouting something about heading to get some snacks, Romeo chiding her but following anyways. Gil opted to stay on the floor by the vending machine, he would have gone with the Vice Captain, but he knew that his presence wouldn't be needed.

Brynn managed to make her way towards the floor that she had come in, the main lobby. She was once again met with the bustling energy that the area provided, joyful noises that resonated throughout the metallic walls. The smell of cigarette smoke filled the air, causing her nose to crinkle at it.

Just when she thought that this place was perfect.

She made her way down the stairs which led to the counter. Each step drawing the attention of others, it was most likely because of the foreign uniform that she was wearing, the stoic look on her face. Or perhaps, the way that the uniform hugged her figure. She ignored the piercing and - if she may add - perverted stare that she was getting from a green haired male sitting on one of the couches.

She silently cursed whoever designed the Blood Unit uniform.

Finally stood in front of the counter and taking note of an orange haired girl who was busy typing away. Her pale hands brushed against the counter's cool surface. She took note of how good it felt against her fingers, her lips slightly curled downwards upon remembering the blonde operator back at Friar.eyebrows were furrowed in seriousness and she hastily spoke into the comm that she had on. The platinum haired female waited for her to finish, knowing that she won't be able to get anything from her in that situation.

"Soma, I'm putting you on hold for a few minutes." She finally announced and after a couple of seconds, turned to Brynn with a bright smile. "I'm sorry for the wait. I'm Hibari Takeda, I believe that you are from Blood?"

Brynn saw it again. The look of surprise and wonder, however the operator masked it with her professionalism. She shrugged the thought and gave a reply, "Yes, I have to come to sign us up for the mission that has been assigned."

She couldn't help but think that she sounded like Julius. She must be hanging out with him too much.

The operator, Hibari, gave a curt nod before turning back to her computer screen. She typed away, announcing a few details which Brynn would nod at. She faced the monitor towards the blonde, who began reading the details.

"Gboro-Gboro and Kabbala-Kabbala, hmm…" She read out the names, there were photos beside each Aragami. The Gboro-Gboro had a crystal clear one that would distinguish it. However, the other had a photo that was only an abstract of the colors purple and yellow. She couldn't decipher what the Aragami looked like.

Not that it mattered, it was indicated that it was an evolved Gboro-Gboro. Another oversized amphibian.

Usually, it was the Research Team's responsibility to update the database of the Aragami that would be discovered. She actually wondered how they actually managed that. However, since Psions are special cases, the Blood members would be assigned to further assess the Aragami. Thus why Julius and Ciel had been given documents to study.

Looks like they're in for a photoshoot later on.

She quickly memorized the mission details and gave the operator a thanks before heading to the God Arc Storage. She needed to check on her God Arc.

 _Brynn entered the lab with a blank look on her face. A face that was devoid of any emotion, trying to hide the curiosity that it's bearer was experiencing. She was met with the oversized screen, gold centered decor that the room had, and the lone woman in the wheelchair._

 _"Hello, Brynn. I apologize for calling you at a time that you are preparing. However, I cannot let this pass." There was a curl in her pale lips as her blue eyed glimmered with the same whimsical look that it always had. The Vice Captain expected that she would be used to it by now, seeing that face multiple times and engaging with her. It was quite the contrary, she was being more and more uneasy as time would pass._

 _The other blonde noticed her silence and gestured her hand towards the couch, "Now, now, have a seat. I've prepared some biscuits and tea for you. Or would you prefer coffee?"_

 _Although hesitant, Brynn made her way over to the plush couch and took a seat, "I appreciate the hospitality, Dr. Rachel. However, I'll have to refuse your kindness for now." She gave a small smile as she examined the other's covered eyes for any change in emotion. It remained the same, followed by a giggle._

 _"You have grown, Amaryllis." She felt a cold run through her as the other said the name. It was always the same reaction. "It's quite nice to see your development in terms of persona and adroitness in the battlefield. I noticed that you have also labored to craft new God Arc."_

 _Of course she would have known. Brynn hid the surprise in her face quite skillfully as she answered, "Thank you, Doctor. Yes, I have been trying. Although, I admit that I haven't been putting them to use." Rachel's smile deepened._

 _"I'm aware. You are quite attached to your Auricle after all. Quite a fine specimen actually. Sadly, we do not have ample time to discuss things deeper, so I must explain why I have summoned you." The lame woman turned towards the computer screen and picked up the wireless tablet that was placed on the table, alongside with the biscuits which remained untouched. An image of her God Arc appeared along with a few numbers which she couldn't decipher._

 _"I would like you to leave your Auricle set here for the meantime." Her breath got caught in her throat as she bit her lower lip to prevent herself from saying anything. "As mentioned before, studying you in battle would extremely help with the development of the God Arc Soldiers. It has, but the stats coming in are quite slow. Being able to analyze the God Arc itself would allow more information to be revealed and studied." There was a slight pause before the gold haired woman turned to her again, "That is, if you accede."_

 _Leave her God Arc? That would mean not just Auricle, but Cuivre and Agrent as well. Could she really do that? Her God Arc was her partner her crime, what kept her safe and capable of slaying aragami. Although she couldn't exactly remember, she knew that she had gone through a lot with it._

 _'But, it would help with the God Arc Soldiers, right?' She began to ponder. 'That would mean, less casualties for the God Eaters that were to be sent to battle.'_

 _It was with that thought and she finally knew her answer._

 _"You'll keep him safe, right?" She had always referred to her God Arc as a him. Even Rachel wasn't faced by the personification that she had just given._

 _"Of course," she reassured the younger blonde, "he will be safe."_

 _She had been dismissed and had just walked out of a room, there was sorrow in her face, but somehow she knew that what she had done would help them in the future. As she turned towards the elevator, a familiar figure had caught her attention._

 _"Oh~ You're being quite obedient, Eos!" There stood the brunette, a twisted smile on her face as she acknowledged the Vice Captain. She had been standing in front of the elevator, and judging by her appearance, she had been waiting._

 _"Why are you here?" Brynn asked in annoyance, she was holding herself back. Just a little more and she would throw the mysterious woman over the railings._

 _The brunette put her hands up in the air in a mocking manner, "Calm down, keep that face up and you'll end up with wrinkles before you turn 25." She growled. "That is, if you live until your 20s." There was amusement dripping in her voice. Brynn sighed, she knew that she was baiting her. She wouldn't fall for it._

 _"Whatever," she walked towards the elevator, but had been blocked by the slightly taller woman, "what do you want?" She asked in a calmer manner. Nessa cracked a grin._

 _"You're really something, Eos. Anyways, I just wanted to let you know that I feel nicer." Brynn rolled her eyes at this but said nothing. "I've decided to let you have glimpses of your past from time to time instead of just surprising you with one 64gb of stored memory." Before Brynn could respond, a finger had been brought up to her lips, "Not only that, we also have a bonus! In the process, you will also keep your precious Astraeus."_

 _Brynn's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, who was Astraeus anyways? And what's up with the new 'prizes' that the girl was offering_ _her. She knew something was off, but before she could protest, the strange woman walked in the direction that lead to the lab. "That's it for today! Got to go, Eos! Keep up the goodwork._

 _She wanted to grab her, to further inquire, but something had been preventing her from doing so. She couldn't understand what she was feeling, could it be?_

 _"Too bad she didn't know that you liked sweets, huh?"_

 _Fear. She was feeling fear._


	15. Chapter 14

_Slash._

Purple and yellow oracle cells in the form of scales flew through the air with each strike. A devious smile graced her lips as she managed to greatly incise the Psion's defenses. She rolled while tightening her grip on her Wild Swd: Yang II.

It was all new to her, the lightness and agility that she felt; the way that she no longer needed to hold the weapon with two hands. She was faster, capable of hacking away in speeds that she could never achieve with her scythe, regardless of how she trained.

It felt liberating. In such as sense that her stress was fading away. It was exhilarating. She felt as though she could lose control. She wasn't entirely sure, what to do with her freehand, now that she could wield the Chi-You wing shaped blade in one hand. It was awkward at first, hanging by her side or instinctively to reaching to hold the smaller blade.

After defeating and struggling with the Gboro-Gboro, she found the rhythm and managed to get used to the blade.

 _Thrust._

A glimmer of bright purple broke through, indicating the destruction of the Aragami's bond. It roared in anger, facing her as she finished slashing and stabbing the tail. She dashed, narrowly missing the amphibian's fangs that caused it to flail. Charging at her once again.

Her previous actions had caused her some distance from the enraged creature, an idea crossed her mind as she watched the Psion charge at her. She flashed her teeth in excitement, further taunting the Kabbala-Kabbala. In response, it opened its mouth, preparing to dig into her flesh. She switched to her gun, an upgraded Kurogane Blast Gun.

"Come at me, _Fils de pute._ " Just as the Psion was mere inches from her, she pulled the trigger. In an instant, the bullet exploded within the creature's mouth, leading to its demise. Fortunately, the core wasn't that damaged, it could still be collected.

She dodged a bullet with that one.

She huffed and shouldered the oversized gun over her right shoulder. Staring at the defeated cluster of oracle cells, that slowly disintegrated into the air.

" _Stare right into death's face, child."_

"You really are a reckless idiot!" A blunt object had hit the back of her head, although it did not cause pain, it still took her by surprise. She was certain that she knew who the gruff voice belonged to. She muttered a curse before turning around as she rubbed the back of her head.

Behind her was Gil, Blood's mother hen. An annoyed look was plastered on his face, eyebrows furrowed under the shadows of his cap. His clenched teeth had been exposed as his eyes held a sharp glare. A few steps behind him was the Captain and the youngest.

"That's the 347th time that you said that." She joked, without much humor. This earned an even more angered expression from her companion.

"Why are you always getting yourself into trouble?" Brynn rolled her eyes at this, she didn't need another lecture.

"For the record, I did fine."

"Yeah, and if your luck runs out?"

Luck. The one thing that she didn't want to hear and didn't need to hear from a fellow comrade. He was questioning her.

Her eyes narrowed, lips pressed into a thin line before answering, " _A vaincre sans péril, on triomphe sans gloire."_ She spun around and walked away, ignoring the people that had been calling her name as she stomped away. Her shoes leaving footsteps on the snow as she earned more distance from her team. She didn't know where she was going.

But she definitely did not want to be there.

The gun hung loosely over her shoulder as she walked on, it was the same place where she 'recklessly' controlled the God Arc Soldier, the same place where she met the Nessa girl. She chuckled at the thoughts with amusement.

This place was where she had done most 'reckless' things and where her 'luck' seemed to be working quite well. So far, she was still alive.

She needed to be alone, or at least, in silence. Usually, she would be capable of ignoring the older male's words, even teasing him that she was growing on him or that he was falling for her. This would, ten out of ten, earn her a smack to the back of her head or her ears to be violently pulled at.

But it was what he said that irked her; luck. It was him questioning her ability, questioning what she was doing, did he not have fate in her? She knew what she was doing, she was sure of it. She made sure that every move that she made was well calculated.

Or perhaps, she was in denial. Defending her brazen actions.

She stopped in her tracks, satisfied with the distance that she put between her and her comrades. Glancing at the infinite blue and white that the ocean, land, and sky provided.

Pressure. She was pressured. Ever since she had been entrusted with the position of Vice Captain, her insecurities began eating away at her. Self-doubt that she never took note of before. She strove to become better, to be able to do something that would benefit their unit.

She didn't want them for her to be careful just because it would be detrimental to Blood. Those words, even if she were to disappear, Blood wouldn't be affected at all.

She was incompetent. Those words kept crossing her thoughts more often now, when she would wake up, in the middle of a mission, as she was eating, and before she would sleep. It would dampen her mood, but she would try her best to mask it.

It started with comparing herself to the newest recruit, someone who was tactical and strategic. Well versed in planning and analyzing the team's weaknesses and strengths. Applying the profound knowledge to the battlefield. The small voices in her head began whispering those things to her, especially when the girl in question would attend to meetings instead of her.

Then it would get worse, she would question her experience. Her ability to converse with the members of her team, the strength that she had when fighting with Aragami (this resulted with her pressuring herself to train more), even the way that she wrote reports.

She was lacking.

Inferior.

Weak.

She could never be like their captain; strong, independent, professional, tactical. She stuck out, as the biggest burden. Even her recklessness was dragging her teammates down. She groaned upon realizing that she was just making everything worse. Running a hand through her unruly hair.

She didn't know what to do.

"'A win without risk is a triumph without glory.', I see that you've been reading Corneille, Vice Captain." A voice broke through the deafening silence, stopping her from drowning in her thoughts.

' _Save me.'_

She ignored him, her eyes continued to scan the view in front of her. Skies were slightly darkening as time passed by, their silent streak carried on.

"Would have been a nice place to reside in if the Aragami Outbreak never happened." A small smile crossed Brynn's features.

Home. A place to reside in. A peaceful place.

A place that she never knew, and never will.

"Never been a fan of the cold, but the view is beautiful." The cold brought her an uncomfortable feeling, not physically, but something that would shake her deep inside her. Not that she paid too much attention to it, she could live with it. Although, she was also physically affected by the cold, she learned to bear with it.

Something heavy and warm draped over her shoulders, her eyes widened and lips parted momentarily at the action. She spun around in surprise, caramel colored eyes locking with grey ones. She took the opportunity to study the eyes, she had only done so once and couldn't help herself but look deeply into them. Searching through the lustrous color, swirling onyx black and tinges of gold at the edges. She had no idea how it was possible for someone to have such a peculiar, yet lovely shade of grey.

"Captain?" Her voice was doubtful. Unsure of what had just happened. Not once has the Captain exhibit such actions and she never expected him to actually do something like this. The gesture was enough to rid her of the thoughts that were bothering her earlier.

' _Save me.'_

He gave a gentle smile, reaching over to fix the jacket that was hanging loosely over her shoulders. His eyes avoided hers, but the small smile never left his lips.

"I know that you aren't exactly resistant to the cold." He explained, the blonde girl began to take note of his appearance. He was left with his white button-down shirt and purple cardigan. A smirk etched itself on her lips.

"I thought that I was the one who was cold." She remarked after taking note of the number of layers he wore. Julius, sensing what she was trying to say, gave one of his rare smirks.

"Well, it's because the number of layers you wear are simply not enough."

She rolled her eyes, "Not my fault that I didn't have the chance to change out of the Blood Uniform." She gestured to what she was wearing, the uniform that revealed her thighs and the cloth stuck to her skin.

"Do not be offended, Vice Captain. You look well regardless." He gave a small smile before it drew into a fine line, "But do wear clothes that conceal you more." What prompted him to say this was the stares that a few men in the base had been throwing at her. He knew the kind of look, of course, he would never tell her that was the reason. He didn't want her to be offended, but of course he disliked the looks that the males were giving her.

She wasn't a meal. He wouldn't let this pass. Perhaps, a subtle threat would be enough.

He was taken aback when the girl started laughing with mirth. A faint pink blush dusted his cheeks upon realizing that she may have misinterpreted what he had said.

She may have thought that he was a pervert.

He watched in dismay as the girl leaned against the short blade's handle, trying to recuperate from the fit of laughter that she had earlier. Although he was worried, and embarrassed, he was glad that he managed to improve the girl's mood. As though the dampened mood that she had earlier was completely forgotten.

He hoped for that, he noticed it. Although the girl tried to hide it, there was no way she could mask it from him.

"Although it was due to my chagrin, I am pleased that I managed to uplift your spirits, Vice Captain." A small smile replaced the boisterous laughter from earlier. He noticed the small twitch in her lips, she probably recalled what had happened earlier.

"I am certain that Gilbert is just worried." He paused for awhile, "We're worried." He corrected himself. Seeing the girl audaciously face the Psion on her own, without even waiting for them to arrive, had nearly given him a juvenile heart attack. He was not able to brief her properly regarding the Aragami that they would be facing.

But she did fine.

"You're going to call me reckless, too?" He nearly flinched at her words, not exactly sure what to say.

Did he find her reckless? No. He didn't, he wouldn't have entrusted her the position, he knew that she was already like that before. That wasn't the first time that she pulled off a stunt like that.

That was her. He couldn't change her, he believed that she was capable of taking care of herself.

Noticing the sad look that the female was giving, he immediately responded, "No, I have never once doubted you, Vice Captain." There was a look of shock in the girl's face as she looked up at him. He continued, "I believe that you are capable, despite your actions seeming brash, you know what you're doing. You are merely acting to your instincts. Possibly, muscle memory." He added, answering as honestly as possible.

"Although, we cannot help but feel worried." Brynn bit her lip in response, he knew that whenever she did this, she was confused, "We care for you, and we do not want anything to happen to you."

Despite how he tried to comfort her, the flash of sadness did not go unnoticed by him. Was there something wrong with what he said?

"Because it would be detrimental to Blood, right?"

He figured it out, perhaps his words from last time had been to harsh. Too cold.

"Simply because we don't want to lose you. You are - how do I put this correctly." He paused for a bit, unsure of what to say. He feared hurting the girl, certain that she was currently sensitive to certain topics.

Finally finding the words, he added, "You are family." He nearly panicked when the her eyes began to become watery at his words. He wasn't sure whether it was because she was hurt by them or pleased. He got his answer when the girl tightly hugged his waist, burying her face into his chest as she broke down sobbing.

She knew that she was being out of character, she was a moody person, but breaking down was never something that she had done in front of somebody. But, the insecurities had been building up, along with the fear and irritation. The worthlessness that she felt had been put aside by the words that came from the Captain's mouth.

She longed to hear that she was actually wanted, that she was actually someone that was worthy of being cared for. She found it ridiculous of how emotional she was being, but she couldn't help it.

A hand ran through her hair, as she felt a chin over her head. She knew that she would be embarrassed by this later on, but she also knew that this was something that she needed. She wanted the reassurance.

' _Save me, save me.'_

And the Captain had just provided her with the reassurance that she needed. The past few days, she been trying to hold it all in. To ignore everything. Putting up a mask, that she was okay and that she was trying to be strong.

Only one person saw through that facade however.

" _If you come with me, you can become stronger and protect other people from Aragami, don't you think that would be nice, child?"_

" _You are to rise above them, do not let them drag you down."_

" _You are willing to refuse your salary? For that troublesome Vice Captain of yours?"_

She couldn't help but gasp, pulling away. She stared right into the other's face as there was shock in his expression that mirrored hers. Before she could speak, he had cut her off.

"I apologize for making you feel unwanted or uninvolved whenever Ciel and I would have meetings. I figured that you would be tired from all the reports that you've been shouldering for me. You've been lifting off the tremendous weight off my shoulders ever since you became Vice Captain. I am truly grateful for all that." Would that mean, that he saw or felt whatever she was feeling?

Were these randoms visions that she had been getting, an effect of her Blood power?

Before she could respond to, the crunching of snow underneath feet had caught their attention. The other half of their team had appeared, causing them to slowly break away from each other. Brynn noticed the amused look on the tallest one's face.

"Did the Captain finally knock some sense into ya?" She was taken aback, wasn't he upset with her? Instead, he was fully approaching her without hesitation. "Anyways, I'm sorry for being so harsh on your earlier, kid." He brought a hand to his cap and pulled it down. "Just stop worrying us so much."

Ciel nodded in agreement, however, she knew that they couldn't stay in the area for too late, "Captain, shall I call for extraction?" Julius merely nodded in response, turning back his attention to the girl, clad in his trademark jacket.

He couldn't help but notice she looked, despite him being a lean man, the jacket still appeared to be oversized. It made her look look like a child. Yet, adorable and charming.

His eyes widened, fortunately, it had not been noticed by the girl in question as she was busy discussing with the taller male. He slightly flinched at his thought, he couldn't be having thoughts like this about his Vice Captain.

It would be unprofessional.

The blonde male had been snapped from his thoughts, when he felt someone slightly nudge his shoulder. He looked and took in the caramel colored eyes that held the usual mischievousness, there wasn't a trace of sadness.

It made him glad.

"Thank you, Julius." A faint smile crossed her face as she said those words, it had been matched by the male.

"Do not hesitate to approach me, Vice Captain. We are all here for you." With that being said, they followed the other two who had given them some privacy. They were making their way back to the extraction point.

* * *

The four members of Blood managed to arrive at the den in one piece. No casualties or any more arguments. The flight home was silent, most of the members had been lost in thought or doing their own thing.

" _There's something that I have to give to you, Vice Captain."_

The captain's words had repeated in her thoughts, it was stirring her curiosity awake. She knew that the curiosity needed to be satisfied soon or she wouldn't be able to focus on her missions.

Luckily, they were given the rest of the day to rest.

"Brynn!" The orange-haired operator called her out as she was making her way to the Captain. Her stomach had been complaining since the beginning of the mission. The last time that she ate was when they left Friar. She definitely did not have a good feeling about whatever the operator wanted to tell her. With a sigh, she resentfully made her way towards the counter.

"Good afternoon." She formally said, pressing her stomach against the counter's cool edges. The operator gave her a knowing look, she held back the urge to cock an eyebrow.

'Why is she looking at me that way?'

Her thoughts had been dismissed when Hibari spoke, "The director has requested for you to proceed to his office. He wants to discuss some things with you." Brynn's lips shaped like an 'o'. What could the old man want at this time?

Whatever it was, she knew that it wasn't good.

She nodded in affirmation, although she was hesitant, she knew that she had no other choice. She hated these situations, when she knew that she couldn't decline. It had been happening to her a lot lately.

Other than that, it was the director of the branch after all. He seemed peculiar, but was probably better than the troll that was named Grem.

She cringed at the thought of the cruel dude. And the smoke fumes that surrounded him, she didn't like him. She just found out that he cut off Julius salary after all.

Well, he didn't accept it, but technically, if he didn't put her in the Brig, then he wouldn't have cut it off, right? Whatever the case was, she loathed the guy, he treated them as if they were tools.

As if they were replaceable.

"Noted, would that be all?" She asked, prepping to head to the Executive Floor. The operator shook her head no before giving a sincere smile.

"That would be all, you look good in that jacket, by the way."

Realizing why the girl was looking at her so strangely earlier, she began to remember whose jacket, the one she was wearing, belonged to. She made her way to the elevator, her face flushed at the thought.

'I should have it washed before giving it back.'

' _I need your love before I fall.'_


	16. Chapter 15

"Ah, Vice Captain, you arrived earlier than expected." The foxy-like man flashed a small grin. His hands were clasped together and pressed over the leather top of his wooden desk. On his right was a laptop and on the other side were piled papers that were placed in an organized fashion.

Brynn slowly closed the door, its thud had been soft. She gave an empty smile before speaking, she wasn't in the mood for idle chatter, she wanted get this over as soon as possible.

"What is it that you require, director?" Her stomach had been gnawing at itself, she wouldn't be that surprised if it decided to eat itself. Although, it is still impossible.

The smile on the male's face had slightly faltered, but the look sly glint in his eyes had not faded away. He cleared his throat, "I'll get straight to the point," sitting up straight before he continued, "I had been informed of your Blood Power; Evoke."

Brynn wasn't affected by the information, she already figured that Rachel would give him access. Although, their stats and data had only been accessible to a certain number of individuals in Friar. Not even Fran had access to most information.

"It is quite similar to an occurrence that we had before. A few years back." The gray-haired man pushed his glasses higher on the bridge of his nose. She could already sense the seriousness of the topic. For some reason, she felt uneasy.

"The Resonance."

The word seemed familiar, not in a way that one would know its meaning, she had already heard or read the word a couple of times during the past few weeks. Never giving much context to it, until today. Hearing the word from the director slash scientist seemed to bring something different.

"Evoke awakens the Blood Power of even those who do not possess the Bias Factor that the Blood Unit has." That was new, she only knew that she was capable of awakening those of her teammates. She wasn't even sure if it was _her_ actually doing those things. "I'd like to ask you something, Vice Captain."

She waited for the man to continue, not moving an inch nor making a sound.

"Have you ever experienced seeing memories of other people?"

The platinum haired woman blinked a couple of times, the shock beginning to register on her face as she listened to the words. How could he possibly have known? Not even the scientist in Friar was aware of the strange events that she was going through. Or maybe she did.

"As I thought, studying the Bias Factor that you possess, the Evoke has a similar trait to the Resonance. It's quite powerful actually." There was a knowing smile on his lips as the girl found her composure. "Even memories that are thought to be forgotten, can resurface with a Resonance."

Could he possibly be hinting that she could remember her own memories? Did he even know about her being amnesiatic? Now she was just confused. Extremely confused.

"We haven't gotten to far in the study when…" His lower lip trembled as he spoke, the melancholy was notable in his voice. "When the candidate who was able to trigger them often died."

Brynn's lips shaped like an 'o', could this girl be the Saerin that they all were talking about?

"I tried comparing your DNA with hers, it was different, I thought that you two could have been relatives or something near. That wasn't the case however."

So she just met the scientist and he probably knew 50% of her by now. Even the things that she didn't know, she didn't know whether she should feel creeped out or what.

"Anyways," As he began, the sadness on his expression had faded away, "With your approval, I would like to study your Bias Factor, its similarities with the Resonance. I believe that it will be a great step to tipping the scales to our side."

She held back the growl that was forming in her throat. Was that all that she really was to them? An experiment, a guinea pig? She was definitely beginning to feel like those things. First Friar's scientist, now this director that she barely knew. It was strange, she felt like a tool, an asset.

She was already one in the first place, her occupation entitled her that. She was their plaything, and she couldn't do anything about it.

Why would the doctor need her, though? What relevance would the Resonance- would Evoke have? What would it do, how will it help 'tip the scales'? She was certain that what he meant by that was the battle between humans and the 'gods'.

The young woman knew that he was planning something, they were.

As if the fox-like man had been reading her thoughts, he spoke up, "It's just a small project, a study that I conducted before. I assure you that no harm will be caused."

Somehow she found his words unconvincing. The fact that no harm will happen, it was an experiment. It would always have risk. Whatever he was planning, she was aware that she was barely the surface. Only seeing the tip of the iceberg.

But she couldn't say no, could she? He was asking for an approval, for her answer, but she was certain that he knew that she had no other choice but to say yet.

Despite all that, she would admit that she is curious. She wanted to know what she was capable of, what her ability could do. She wanted to do something to change the world, whatever the two doctors were planning could be her chance to fulfill that wish.

"I agree, however…" She was hesitant, careful with choosing and saying her words as it trailed off, "What exactly are you planning?"

"Ah, of course." Sakaki pushed his glasses higher on the bridge of his nose as his eyes narrowed even more, "I just plan to study how your oracle cells and your teammate's oracle cells react in response. How exactly does it activate one's Blood Power? What phenomenon causes this to happen?" Like a kid in a candy store, his face lit up, "For now, we will be commencing the observation stage."

The cheerful expression that he held didn't last too long, it turned grim and even intimidating, Brynn felt a shiver run down her spine as she listened to his next words. "I request that you keep this between the two of us."

There was no way out of this now.

Nodding in an attempt to mask her doubts, the director gave another smile. A fake one, if she said so.

She knew that he managed to earn himself another pawn for his little game. Who was he against, however?

"Very well, I expect good things from you! If possible, I'd like you to go out on a mission with Emil and Erina." He turned to his laptop, "I believe that you have met Emil before. I already noticed Kota, they will be meeting you downstairs." The blonde internally groaned before muttering something in affirmation.

She excused herself in order to get ready for the next mission, as she made her way to the door, a voice whispered into her ear.

" _So will man turn into a God? Or will a God turn into a man?"_ She knew that it was the doctor speaking, but when she turned to look at him, he was busy with his papers. Her eyebrows furrowed in discontent.

"Is there anything wrong?" She blinked, snapping back to reality as she realized that she had been staring at him. She shook her head no.

"It's nothing, I will report back to you when the mission had ended."

* * *

Half dead. That's how she came back, half dead. Not because of Aragami, the Gboro-Gboro and Chi-you did not faze a problem to them. They were relatively easy to kill. That is until one adds a sarcastic and grumpy young girl; and a naive, dense, 'knightley' male.

"Everything's gonna work out just fine." She repeated the words that she said at the beginning of the mission, of course she already had a bad gut feeling during that time. Her words had been drowned by the two arguing and a red-haired captain trying to reassure her.

She tightened the bandage around her waist, fortunately, the bleeding had stopped. She disinfected it with the medicine that they provided. Of course, despite it being quite a big wound, she didn't feel anything.

"So this is the blessing, huh." Bringing the roll near her mouth as she ripped a long piece out with her teeth, this would be for her arm. There was a long cut from her elbow to the part near her wrist.

Despite her being someone who wasn't capable of feeling pain, the price was that she healed slower than most God Eaters. What would take a day or two for a regular one, it would take a week for her. None of them knew that however, whenever she would have damage to her skin, she had clothes that could cover it up.

Looking over to the side of the bed where her Blood Unit Uniform had been place, she sighed upon seeing how tattered it was. Despite it being created with materials that were sturdy and generally hard to destroy.

It couldn't last being attacked by both the Gboro-Gboro and the Chi-You. It wasn't a pretty sight.

" _I told you, Emil, shut up!" Brynn sighed for the nth time, they hadn't stopped arguing since they arrived._

" _The beast shall be vanquished by my own stored, crafted by their own blood and skin, materials that had been harnessed from-" A gasp escaped her lips upon seeing the attacks that were going to be released on her comrades. She dashed, her arms outstretched to move them away._

" _Watch out, idiots!" Brynn screamed as she pushed the two away from where they were standing, their noise had managed to earn the attention of the Aragami that they had been hunting._

"So much for being nice." She muttered bitterly, standing up and feeling the heaviness of her body. Hunger, tiredness, plus the damage that had been caused to her body wasn't a good thing, she knew that.

But she didn't want to stay in the infirmary either.

She dressed herself in the clothes that she first withdraw from the terminal, remembering the glances that the people were giving her, she was soaked in Aragami blood after all. Fortunately, the members of her own unit had not seen her state earlier.

She definitely wasn't looking forward to another lecture on the same day. She made her way out, tucking the tattered clothes in her arm as she navigated the hallways of the medical wing. She knew that she needed to report to the director before anything else.

Hoping that the director would be merciful enough to let her take the rest of the day off. Maybe she should have shown a bit more wounds, the platinum blonde would have been able to convince him more with an extremely pitiful state.

Arriving at the floor, she quickly made her way towards the biggest door and knocked, she didn't get a response so she tried twisting the door open. "Hmm, he must be out." This prompted her to report the following day instead, it was getting pretty dark and she still didn't have her dinner.

Making her way to the elevator, she decided to proceed to the lobby and ask Hibari where she could get her food.

The day went by quickly with the two missions that she had to do, she didn't mind, it was better than doing nothing or doing reports. At the mention of reports, she recalled her captain, and how she needed to assist him with the reports that day and the previous ones. She groaned at that before exiting the elevator.

"Yo, Brynn!" Her eyes darted to where the voice came from, there she saw the orange haired Captain grinning at her as he walked up the stairs. His clipboard was still in his hands causing her to wonder why he always had it with him. He didn't seem like the type to be organized.

Okay, that was just mean.

"Hello, Captain." She greeted with a small smile and nod, this earned her a disgruntled look from the cheerful male.

"No need to be so formal!" With those words, a sense of deja vu washed over her. This happened with her and her blonde teammate a few weeks ago.

'Be careful with what you wish for.' She smirked inwardly as she continued to listen to the male.

"Anyways! I'm guessing that you're pretty hungry, and someone told me that you were really fond of fried chicken, so I had the kitchen staff make you some."

Someone thought of her? She felt her heart melt at the gesture and a wide smile crawled to her face.

"Aw, that's nice. Who asked you though?" The question earned her a wink and a teasing grin. She nearly groaned in annoyance at this but held herself back.

"Sorry, can't tell ya." Before she could react, her arm had been grabbed - fortunately, the uninjured one - and was being dragged in the opposite direction. "Let's get going!"

"Hey-" The platinum-haired woman could no longer protest as the male continued to babble about how good the food was here.

* * *

With a full stomach and satisfied smile, Brynn followed the directions to where the Blood Unit would be staying. She had been given her room number, as the other members had already settled for the night and had been assigned their own rooms. The elevator came to a stop, and there she saw two of her male comrades discussing. On one of the benches, was a brunette, clad in tight fitting, purple clothes.

The appealing woman caught her eye, this caused her cheeks to burn up upon realizing that she had been staring. Clearing her throat, she made her way to the Italian and the Scottish.

"The girls in the Far East are so hot!" The first thing that she heard upon arriving in front of them, she rolled her eyes at this and was about to leave for her room but a hand caught her arm.

"Hey! Don't take it the wrong way, you're pretty hot to-" The poor blonde never got to continue his sentence as he buckled over. He groaned in pain, clutching his stomach were the girl had elbowed him.

"Idiot!" She huffed and rolled her eyes, she wasn't implying that she wanted to be called hot. She didn't give much care in regards to compliments or fancy sweet words.

Most of the time.

The man clad in purple simply stared at them with an amused twinkle in his eyes. Of course, he said nothing, the two waited for their blonde to spring back. He had a grin on his face as if he had not been elbowed in the gut earlier.

"Although," He began after clearing his throat, his nasal and high pitched remained the same, Brynn remembered cringing the first few times she would hear it. "I know that this is the front lines, but don't you think that the place is too shabby?" He pouted before examining the room and raising his arms over his head, stretching. "Maybe I'll just spend my nights in Friar." He added.

"I actually like it here." The girl added with a small smile, "It's homey." Gil nodded in agreement before voicing out his own opinion.

"Friar's way too hoity-toity." Brynn nearly snorted at his words, "This place is more normal."

"Normal? Not a chance." An additional voice argued, causing them to snap their heads to the woman who was previously sitting on the couch. A glare could be seen beneath the thin glasses that she wore as she crossed the distance between them.

"If this is normal, then what do you call the people outside these walls, huh? Just barely scratching out a life?" She stopped in front of Gil, giving him a dirty look but he had not been fazed. He simply looked down at her.

"Who are you?"

"Satsuki Takamine, freelance journalist, at your service." A scowl found its way to his face as he backed away, preparing to take his leave.

"Look, sorry, sister, but I don't do well with journalist." He gave curt nods to his two teammates, before making his way to what Brynn assumed was his room.

She gave a concerned look to the tallest one before returning her attention to the newcomer and Romeo. They were watching the retreating figure as well, before she had to stay any longer, she gave a small smile and excused herself. Making her way towards her room.

Caramel colored eyes scanned the room's interior the moment that it was in view. It was big, bigger than her old room but quite similar to the rooms that they had in Friar. She cheered at the sight of the kitchen and a private bathroom. Ignoring everything else, she skipped towards the bathroom to get ready for the night.

As she was changing into a pair of shorts and an oversized shirt, the events of the day crossed her mind.

What was Julius planning to tell her? She hadn't seen the said male since she got back from the disastrous mission and had no idea where to look for him. The thought of intruding other people's room at this team made her cringe, she didn't need a repeat of a previous incident.

" _Captain, I ha- never mind, I'll come back later." The door slam shut._

Brynn shook her head and began to make her way towards the bed. It was calling to her, her body longed for sleep after everything that had happened today and she knew that she wasn't just physically tired, her overthinking from earlier had also tuckered her out.

She realized that there were two beds, a night stand in the middle had separated them. They didn't inform her that she shared a room with someone, it was probably someone from their team anyways, like Ciel or Nana. That was the least of her problems, she would find out when she wakes up anyways.

Right now, all that she wanted to do was to sleep.

* * *

 _Darkness once again. It had been quite some time since she had been welcomed by the absence of color. She knew that she was sleeping, different emotions surged through her as the clamoring of words that she could not decipher reached her ears. She wanted to move her hands to cover her almost bleeding eardrums._

 _But she was stunned, she couldn't move. There was a heavy weight pushing her down. She whimpered, not knowing what to do, she couldn't breathe._

 _Fear. It was a bothering feeling, but she never felt it with this much intensity. Something was in there with her, something was pushing her down._

" _Yo… be … with … , I ...mise."_

" _We'll ...ome b… for ..."_

" _Won't… lea… "_

 _She tried screaming as the weight became heavier, trying to flail her the arms that she couldn't feel. She whimpered, kicking but failing to do so._

 _A strange yet familiar voice whispered in her ears, "Petit a petit, l'oiseau fait san nid."_

"Brynn!" Her eyes fluttered open causing caramel to clash with grey. She blinked multiple times, realizing that _he_ was hovering over her. His hands were pressed firmly on her shoulders, as if he had been shaking her prior.

"J-Julius?" She voiced out, her voice cracking as the emotions she had earlier had not faded away yet. The fear and panic that made her heart race, the anxiety that made her shiver. It all felt so real, but she had no idea why she was feeling such things.

She couldn't remember what the voices were telling, nor the French line that had been whispered into her ear before she woke up.

She shivered, not entirely sure why she was so scared. Something warm brushed against her cheek and she was brought back to reality. He was still looking down at her with concern.

But she still took note of his appearance. His already messy hair was even messier if possible, cowlicks in different directions which she would probably tease him about if she wasn't in such a state. The bags under his eyes indicated that he just woke up and that he was still groggy. His white polo was disheveled but with the angle she was currently in, she couldn't see anything more below his torso.

"It's okay, let it out." He whispered, comfort spread throughout her body as he ran a hand through her hair, getting tangled in the light blonde locks as he continued to observe her in silence.

She didn't know how he had done it, but she felt a lot better, the fear and negative emotions from earlier had faded away. Leaving her with warmth and soothing feelings that the male was giving her. Her eyes instinctively closed, continuing to anticipate each stroke with his hands as she found herself drifting away.

She was nearly falling asleep, but her eyes snapped open the moment that he stopped and shifted, getting ready to leave her bed.

"Julius…" She grabbed his arm, a pleading look was on her face. "Please don't leave…" She had been expecting a shocked look from the captain, but instead, she earned herself a sleepy smile and nod.

Somehow, he was beside her now, her forehead was against his chest as his arm reached out to stroke her hair. This time, the emotions had totally vanished, replaced by tranquil feelings as she drifted away once again.

Embraced by the arms of a dreamless sleep.


	17. Chapter 16

Caramel colored eyes fluttered open slowly, the grogginess was clearly evident as its owner began to rub the crust that formed away. Running a hand through tousled blonde hair before yawning and examining the room. Brynn then recalled that she was not in her old place anymore.

She also remembered what had happened the previous night. Turning to the side, she took note of the captain who was now on his own bed, back was facing towards her.

'Maybe it was just a dream. Dreamception.' She thought with a nod as if convincing herself. There's no way that the captain would do something like that, right? Pushing away these thoughts, she looked towards the clock on the nightstand.

4 am. It's bright red hues glowed in the darkness that consumed the room. The blonde tried to sleep again, tossing and turning under the covers and it was all to no avail. With a sigh, she stood up, stepping as gently as she could on the floor in order not to make too much noise.

She was hungry, starving. Although she ate quite plenty during dinner the night before, she felt extra hungry that morning which was unusual. Having been informed that the cafeteria and the lounge won't be opening until 6 am that morning, she made her way to the small kitchen that they had in order to make some coffee.

The cold marble floor cooled her bare feet as she tiptoed on them. It wasn't that dark that she would bump into something so she didn't bother to open the lights, not wanting to disturb her sleeping companion.

She made a mental note to ask how she ended up the Captain as a roommate. Not that she was bothered by it, she was quite happy and glad that she ended up with him. She would never admit that in public but she began to slightly cheer on the inside.

'Cause it would make paperwork easier, right?' She thought, cursing herself for having to defend her own thoughts. There was a bright red blush on her cheeks as she began to make the coffee. She prepared two mugs - because teacups would never be enough for her and she decided to influence the captain - and began to make each respective blend.

Putting two teaspoons of sugar into the male's mug, her thoughts began to drift to the dream that she had the previous night. If one could call that a dream, that is. A nightmare would be a more appropriate term. It was all a blur now, but she swore that it was as clear as the day when it was happening. Now however, she could only recall the closeness that she had with the Captain. If her face had already been red earlier, it was a shade darker now.

"Would you need me to increase the room's air conditioner, Vice Captain?" Brynn spun around upon hearing the person who she had been thinking about. He was giving her a concerned look when she made eye contact with him.

"You're awake, Julius…" She said with a sigh, trying to recompose herself, "You don't need to do that, why did you ask though?" The question was out of the blue.

Julius merely hummed in response before making his way over to one of the stools. He sat down and propped an arm over the counter behind him as he leaned. His hand steadied his head, Brynn could tell that he was still sleepy. The girl had arrived the room at a late time, and she was certain that he had arrived even later. She grabbed one of the mugs and handed it over to him. He muttered a thanks before bringing it up to his lips.

The look of discomfort had not gone missed by Brynn, cocking an eyebrow at him, she non-verbally asked what was wrong. Julius brought down the mug before answering, "I believe that you got ours mixed up."

She had given him the one that had less sugar, chuckling before taking the other one in the counter and exchanging it with his.

"My apologies." Silence followed that as they individually sipped their own coffee. She found it as the perfect time to raise her concern.

"How did we manage to end up in the same room, Captain?" She asked, noticing how the other's eyes slightly widened before bringing down the mug. Julius cleared his throat.

"When you left for that special mission of yours, the rest of Blood decided on the room arrangements. I was the last to choose and I had managed to end up with you. I didn't protest as it seemed like the most practical decision, it would make work more convenient for the both of us." He explained without missing a bit, Brynn nodded as they both had the same thoughts.

"Are you sure, it isn't because you want to be with me, Julius?" She teased with a slight wink. She was expecting him to become flustered as usual and deny it. Finding it fun to play with his awkwardness from time to time.

A bright blush, that rivalled hers from earlier, began to cross his features as he nearly spat out the coffee that he had in his mouth.

"Of course not, Vice Captain. I mean, it isn't that I don't enjoy your company, it's just-" He stopped midway seeing the girl collapse with laughter. Realizing that she had been playing with him, he sighed before giving a small smile. The girl wiped a stray tear away.

"You're going to be a fun roommate, Julius." She said as she gently placed the mug back down on the counter that she was leaning against. Said male took a sip from his.

"Likewise. How did your mission progress yesterday?" Brynn heard the concern in his voice as he asked.

"It went well!" She sarcastically said before turning her eyes to her wrapped and bandaged arms. She needed to change them before heading out for a mission. "Except for the fact that I had to constantly keep a look out for not just the aragami, but my teammates." Julius chuckled at this.

"Well, you all returned safe, that should suffice." There was a pause as he took a sip from his mug, "But don't forget to take care, Vice Captain." He reminded which earned him a smile from the girl.

She was relieved that he wasn't pressing her on what had happened the previous day. A lot happened. He wasn't a prying person, which she appreciated a lot. The two continued to idly chat.

"I hope that you don't mind if I use the bathroom first. I still have some reports to submit to the Director." She mentally groaned at this. Julius gave a curt nod.

"I don't see the problem with that. I believe that you also have a mission lined up for you and Gil." His voice trailed off as he said the last few words, Brynn didn't give it much context as she thanked him and headed to the bathroom.

She knew it was going to be a long day.

She was having a one-sided staring contest with the piece of toast that she had lying on the plate in front of her. In her hand was a fork that she was using to cut up the bread and shoving it into her mouth in small bites.

The report to the doctor didn't go so bad, he didn't hold her up too much except for reminding her about what he had told her the previous day. Also to inform her regarding another mission which she couldn't decline of course. She was lucky enough that she had been given time to eat breakfast. They would be heading out in a n hour or so.

The blonde softly nibbled on the piece of toast as she stared out the window. She could clearly see the houses and small buildings that surrounded the Far East. It was a refreshing sight as during her stay in the Friar, she would only see demolished buildings and Aragami prowling around. They were of course ordered to kill them.

It was also new to her how they were actually in a still building instead of a travelling fortress. She took another bite from the buttered bread and sipped from her mug of coffee. It was her second mug that day.

Not that the Captain was around to stop her.

"Mind if I sit here?" Came a male's unfamiliar voice, it had gone unnoticed by the female as she was preoccupied with her thoughts.

"If you think too hard, you'll ruin your pretty face." The same voice added, which prompted her to finally looked. Her eyes registered a male with olive colored hair that was unruly and reached just above his back, and brown eyes that eyed her with curiosity. He was clad in a black leather jacket adorned with gold zippers and cuffs, red pants which had a chain hanging by the left side, and grey boots that had leopard print as designs in the inside.

"Like what you see?" A smug grin appeared on the male's face as he settled on the stool beside hers. He rested his head on the palm of his hand as he fixed his elbow on the counter. Brynn only scoffs before turning back to the food.

"Not really." She blatantly replied before going back to her toast, "The toast is more pleasing to the eye." She added before stuffing one in her mouth, trying not to be fazed by the hearty chuckle that the male gave.

"Aren't you a feisty one?" He voiced out, still being ignored by the female, "I suppose that it adds to your charm." He faked a small roar with his hand making a clawing motion, still not giving into the girl's silence.

Although Brynn found the olive-haired male beginning to get on her nerves, she was slightly amused, if she weren't in a bad mood, maybe she would have played along. Maybe.

"Anyways, the name's Haruomi Makabe. You can search for Haru on the Norn in case you want to send me an email or something." The male proudly introduced himself with a slight wink that had not gone unnoticed by Brynn. "I'm the 4th Unit's Captain."

They remained in total silence as Brynn poked at the remaining pieces of toast, she was already thinking of what equipment set would she be using later on. Haru had began talking again and she only responded by nodding after each sentence or what seemed to be a question, not really bothering to pay attention to whatever the male had to say.

She had read that they would be going up against a Vajra so perhaps the Gem Sword would do. Then she could craft more bullets for the Tigris gun that she crafted before leaving for the Far East.

"Ah! Alright, I'll note that down." Haru excitedly said after she nodded, it was probably not important anyways.

She wanted to practice using a gun and backing her teammates up, she's been relying too much on her blade lately that she nearly forgot how to switch to its gun form and how to load bullets. That could have been an exaggeration, at least she hasn't fired at any of her teammates.

The blonde took note of the small movement that her peripheral vision had picked up, she turned to the left and saw a small creature in a small fence. She wanted to rush over to it and play with it but a familiar voice had joined the fray, momentarily distracting her.

"Haru?" The blonde turned to see a tall dark brown haired male standing with a can of beer in his hands. The male beside her had a look of shock then a wide grin on his face before he quickly stood up.

"Yo! Gil! It's been quite some time, aye?" Brynn watched in silence as the two interacted. The flirt seemed to be acting extremely friendly with her teammate and the taller male didn't seem to mind one bit. She began to question how the two of them could actually be friends. They were polar opposites, one was extremely talkative, the other one was reserve.

She lowkey cringed at the thought of them being in one place together.

"You two know each other?" She found her voice after silently watching the two converse. They both turned to her and gave different reactions. Haru winked while Gil gave a curt nod indicating that her statement was true. She held back the urge to aim the fork that she was holding at Gil's throat.

"We used belong to the same branch." Gil explained while Haru slung an arm over his shoulder. The platinum-haired female held back the urge to chuckle at his attempt, Gil was a bit taller than him after all.

Haru's grinned widened even more as he continued, "Then this nitwit didn't even bother to tell me that he was coming to the Far East! If I hadn't had the opportunity to talk with this lovely lady here, I wouldn't have been able to run into you. I do have another mission with my unit anyways." He sighed, withdrawing his arms from the taller male. Gilbert cocked an eyebrow at Haru's words but decided to dismiss them.

"Speaking of mission, it's about time we left for ours, Vice Captain." He reminded before turning back to Haru, who looked as though he was about to head out instead. The olive-colored haired male was looking behind him, Brynn followed his line of sight and saw a girl who he was checking out. She whistled lowly to catch the attention of the female. Upon turning, she looked back at Gil that made the random girl assume that it was Haru who had done that.

As if adding fuel to the fire, Haru winked at the girl. The brown-haired girl gritted her teeth and chased after him, his demeanor had not changed as he turned to his companions, "Looks like that I've been sticking around too much. I'll see you both around! Especially you, Brynn. Don't forget about that date you promised me." She rolled her eyes at this and watched as the coquettish male fled to wherever he needed to be.

'Wait, what date?' Brynn's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Like the previous missions, exterminating the Vajra had been a success. Although the new blade she was using didn't really feel comfortable with her, the Assault gun managed to make up for it. As well as the new bullets that she and Ciel had worked on.

She had been used to the extreme fire power and reserves that her Blast Gun provided her with, but the assault gun, she felt more agile and could use the gun more often without consuming much OP. She also hypothesized that it helped with her Bias Factor and the oracle cells from overloading.

Maybe she should use Assault guns more often.

As she extracted the core, the black mass of oracle cells chomped down on the Vajra with ease and delight. She felt a surge of energy run through her veins while watching the pseudo-aragami devour.

"Date, huh?" Her ears picked up the same gruff voice that had saved her from the flirt from earlier. She didn't turn and merely shrugged her shoulders.

"I may have been nodding to everything that he was saying earlier." She honestly answered. The truth was that she couldn't even remember 80% of the one-sided discussion that she had with man from earlier.

Her God Arc's core glowed blue indicating that it was done with its feast. Effortly raising it up in the air, she clicked her tongue upon seeing the materials that she received. She took note that she could use some materials for upgrading her Tigris gun.

Maybe Gil would be willing to trade some materials with her. She could bribe him with beer or scotch. Julius' rations seemed to be untouched and she was sure that he wouldn't mind her stea- borrowing some.

"Your daydreaming is going to get you in trouble one of these days." The Scottish reminded with a sigh as he brought his cap down and shouldered his spear. Brynn only gave a grin before answering.

"Trouble is my middle name."

"That sounds so cliche." Gil rolled his eyes and began walking away, putting his hand over his receiver, ready to inform the operator that the mission was a success and that they were ready for extraction.

"And that's my last name." She cheekily added while bouncing behind him, she reached up to grab his cap and wore it invertedly. The male huffed and began to speak to Hibari, completely ignoring the girl. Ciel approached them, not sparing a questioning look to the Vice Captain.

She loved that the silvette never pried.

"How were the bullets, Vice Captain?" She asked with her typically monotonous voice.

"They were great, I'm starting to love my gun because of you, Ciel." Brynn excitedly answered as the three of them made their way back to the starting point. She didn't miss the soft remark that Gil made.

"Julius was right, you shouldn't be having too much coffee." This resulted with a punch to his arm from the caffeine-addicted girl. He groaned and glared at the blonde.

Gil was referring to how she decided use her gun for nearly 3/4ths of the mission. She had been to immersed and was raining bullets down on the enemy without regarding her surroundings too much. Fortunately, the only nearby Aragami were Ogretails and Zygotes that decided to meddle with their mission.

She nearly got impaled once and poisoned twice. She owed her survival to her reflexes. The adrenaline that the gun was feeding her had got her too excited. He wasn't going to scold her for that, he knew by now that she was capable of standing her ground.

He also didn't want another argument with her.

The trio made their way to the van that they parked in a safe place. Ciel popping in first, followed by Gil as Brynn scanned the surrounding areas. No other life forms could be see amidst the dreary ruins that had been coated with blankets of snow. Satisfied, she made her way to the driver's seat. It was a miracle that Gil had allowed her to drive, he would usually insist that he would do it and steal the wheel away from her.

"Must have been a place bustling with life before the Aragamis appeared." She whispered while turning on the engine making it rev. The two silently nodded.

"As indicated by the name, it was a temple, Vice Captain. I'm just not certain of what belief." The silvette informed the both of them. The car began to move. Brynn felt the soft vibrations through the wheel.

There was silence, they were nearly halfway through when Brynn spoke up again, "Do you two have beliefs?"

Gil, who had been sitting beside her, gave her a quizzical look, "With a world like this?" Brynn simply shrugged her shoulders. Her eyes trained on the path ahead.

"It just crossed my mind." She stepped on the clutch, then shifted the gear. They had been provided with a manual that day, she was better at handling a matic but she couldn't complain.

"It must be nice to hold on to the faith that there will be a god out there will save you." No one spoke after that. Only the van's rumbling could be heard as they drove on.

The Russian gazed at the red armlet that was encased in a metallic container. It was placed against the wall, with a small shelf underneath it. Her fingers traced the name that was embellished on the metallic frame.

Saerin Tsukasa

Her fingers had dust when it glided across the name. With a gentle sigh, she fished out a white hankerchief from her uniform's pocket and gently wiped the dusty surface.

"It's been awhile since someone visited, huh? How are you doing, Leader?" A smile graced her pink lips as she continued to wipe away the accumalated dust.

She made it the point before to visit at least twice or thrice a week. However, eversince Cradle had been formed, she was swamped with multiple tasks and rarely had time to do anything besides work.

It had been awhile since she last had sleep as well. At the thought, she yawned, covering her mouth with her free hand.

"Now I know why you thrive on coffee." Her leader had always been on the edge, hyper and lively. She looked as though she was never tired and constantly had something to do.

"Leader, aren't you going to sleep yet?" The silvette asked as she peered into the captain's room. Out of surprise, the black-haired girl had dropped the papers that she was carrying. Muttering a soft curse, she frantically rushed to pick them up.

Guilty, Alisa let herself in to assist with the papers. Her eyes widened upon seeing the 1st Unit's Former Captain's photo on one of them.

The black-haired girl noticed this and pulled it away, tucking it in between the other papers clearing her throat afterwards, "I just have some things to finish." She gave a smile of reassurance. The Russian could only accept it, knowing that nagging the girl wouldn't do her any good.

"Alright," She hid her curiosity whilst turning to make her leave, "don't stay up too late." Her companion merely chuckled at this.

"Alisa?" Said girl had been snapped from her thoughts, she turned to see a familiar blonde looking at her so concernly. Her shoulders sagged in relaxation before she gave a smile.

"Brynn, are you lost again?" The blonde blushed at this before turning her eyes to the side. They then met with the small 'altar' that had been created for her dear friend.

The previous question had been discontinued by both as Alisa realized that the other was curious, "Saerin was our previous Captain." Her voice trembled slightly, it had gone unnoticed by the newcomer as she approached the metallic tribute.

"Saerin Tsukasa…" Her voice trailed off as she read the name, Alisa only nodded before continuing.

"She was a great person. Daring, witty, charismatic, although reckless at times." She chuckled at that and Brynn couldn't help but think that the other was describing her.

"A little bit like you." The blonde only nodded while biting her inner cheek. Her eyes trained on the red armlet. She recalled having a red armlet before, perhaps it was with Rachel? She needed to ask as she was beginning to feel suspicious.

Could she be Saerin? She shook her head at the thought realizing how ridiculous it was.

Alisa continued to gaze at the tribute when a gesture had caught her eye. Her companion was paying her respects and she couldn't help but smile. She did the same, placing both her hands on her chest before whispering a short message. The two remained, lingering in the silence that the hallway provided.

"We should head back…" Alisa announced, breaking the silence that the two had been enveloped in. "Let's go back together. You might not be able to make it back on your own." She teased which earned her a groan from the other.

"Give me a few more days." She whined which earned her chuckles from the shorter female. The two made their way back to the Den's lobby. Discussing about what they had to do and Aliss informing her regarding Cradle's next projects.


	18. Chapter 17

**A/N - Hi everyone! Especially to those who leave reviews. You guys have no idea how much I smile just reading your messages. Hahaha. Please continue to do so! I mean, only if you guys want to. I just noticed that some of chapters are a bit messy because the flashbacks that are supposed to be italicised aren't! I'll try to fix it soon. Anyways. This chapter is a bit fluffier than usual so let me know if you guys are okay with it!**

Despite getting used to the practices that they had in the Far East, Brynn questions whether she will get used to the number of missions against Psions they were assigned, the Casanova's number of attempts to ask her out (she would constantly hide and flee whenever she would see the green haired male). It's been more than a week and they haven't had a single break - Her and the Captain having the most responsibilities - This was due to the nature of their job.

Coming back from the most recent mission, the blonde was making her way back to the room to do some reports that the director had been asking for. The recent mission was with the first unit's captain who had been constantly pestering her about watching his favorite TV series.

She couldn't remember the exact name of the series; she did remember that it had something to do with a cowboy or something. He also explained that he did a 'cosplay' before and that he would show her, not that she was interested. She wouldn't dare to say that out loud of course, despite the orange-haired male being filled with energy, he was still kind to her.

Giving small smiles and nods to the people who acknowledged her, she sighed in relief upon reaching her door. She kicked off her boots not wanting to leave dirt on the floor the moment that she stepped in. She also took note of the Captain's boots which were neatly placed on the side indicating that he was back as well. Hoping that he wasn't using the laptop yet, she burst in.

The room was still the same as she had left it. It had their own personal touches however; some of their books were on the shelves, as well as random photos of Blood and small decor that they had been provided with. The male wasn't in sight, so she scurried over to the desk grabbing the laptop and flopping down on the bed.

Gil would usually roll his eyes whenever she would do this at his room. She didn't get to see him as much since he was usually hanging out with his old friend, Haru; who she was hiding from. So far, her attempts were successful.

She waited for the laptop to boot when she suddenly heard the bathroom door swing open. Knowing who it was, she ignored him and proceeded to work. Her torso was propped on a pillow as she typed away.

The blonde was proud of her progress, her reports were becoming more precise and detailed. They contained important information and her typos decreased in number. It was one of the benefits that being roommates with the Captain gave her. She would bribe him into checking her reports, which often led to him finishing them. Of course, that was only during the first few days, she was capable of doing all that on her own now.

"Vice-Captain, we will be departing for our mission at 12 hundred hours. I shall notify, Ms. Hibari and will be awaiting you downstairs." She held back the urge to groan and flip the portable computer that was in front of her. Closing the laptop, which contained half of the report that she was working on. She heard the door gently click indicating that the male had left the room.

This was what she meant by not getting used to the multiple missions that were being thrown at her. Most of the time that she spent was out in the field. She didn't just participate in the special missions that Blood had been assigned in, she was also assigned to missions with the first and fourth units. As well as the clearing missions that the Captain would tag her along with.

She liked to say that she was in demand.

Her stomach grumbled, reminding her to feed it at least once during that day. She cursed herself for not grabbing a bite the moment that she arrived at the den. Not wanting to hear more of her stomach's complaints, she prompted to head over to the lounge to grab a quick snack, successfully hiding from her Captain who had been discussing things with the operator.

The lounge didn't have a lot of people around during the time that she entered, which was quite strange since usually, she would hear chattering here and there. She preferred making her own meals, but she also enjoyed having other cook for her as well. She made her way to the 9 year old chef who had been busying herself with another God Eater.

"Yo, you have anything for a quick bite?" She casually asked while leaning against the counter, it was becoming quite a habit of hers. After the young girl had served the God Eater his meal, she spun back to the blonde with a smile.

"I have some chicken sandwiches. Just give me a few minutes to heat them up." She then began to do as she said, leaving Brynn humming to herself as she patiently waited. The blonde found herself walking over to the capybara who excitedly squeaked at the sight of her.

The creature had doubled in size once again, she wasn't sure whether it was because she had been smuggling the thing food. Somehow, they still didn't notice. The red ribbon around it seemed to be getting tighter, she made a mental note to replace it with a bigger one. Didn't Julius have red ribbons lying around the room.

Before she could plot stealing her Captain's clothing articles, Mutsumi, the chef, had called her attention. She spun to see the girl waving a brown paper bag in the air, crinkling as she moved it. Brynn grinned appreciatively making her way over to grab the bag.

"Thank you, Mutsu-" She had stopped midway when someone had grabbed the paperbag in her stead.

"Brynnie, have you forgotten about that date that you promised?" A teasing voice echoed through the room as a familiar green-haired captain waved the bag in front of her face. She only sighed and rolled her eyes before crossing her arms over her chest.

"Give me back my food, Haru," She paused for a while to glare, "and don't call me that."

"C'mon, Brynnie," He repeated once again as if mocking her, "no need to be a spoilsport. Are you free right now? Let's go on that date that you promi-"

"I believe that it is I who she will be going on a date with today." A stern and cold voice had made itself known as the brown paper bag had been snatched from behind the flirt. They all turned to see Julius with a rare glare on his face. The room grew cold as grey and brown stared down at one another. Glints of determination were evident with each one.

Before Haruomi could say anything else, Julius made his way over to the female and grabbed her hand. A gasp nearly escaped her lips at the action as the other began to drag her away. It was evident that he had been the one who won in the staring competition. His grip around her wrist had been tight, not tight enough to hurt her however, she still felt no pain.

She did feel her cheeks grow warmer, her heart beat faster, and multiple thoughts ran through her mind. Trying to shake away the feeling as she quickened her pace to catch up with the male who was practically dragging her away.

"Thanks, Julius…" She managed to voice out despite how flustered she currently was. Fortunately, her companion did not have plans of looking back at her.

"Do not stress, Vice Captain. Do let me know if he decides to bother you once again." She couldn't help but smile and hum in response. She knew that it was one way of her captain showing that he cared. But before she could react more to that, she was growing curious of why they were taking another route outside the Den, and that they weren't getting their God Arcs.

She almost forgot that the captain was still holding her hand.

"Captain, why aren't we getting our God Arcs?" She couldn't decipher the expression on the leader's face as he had his back turned against her. He only quickened his pace as she struggled to catch up.

"We were just assigned to examine the walls, Vice Captain." The response had earned him silence as they both proceeded to their destination. Which was inside the armored walls of the Far East.

It was her first time go out on a mission wherein they just needed to assess or to examine. Due to Psion outbreak, the walls were easier to breakthrough and needed constant monitoring. But she still wondered why they didn't have their God Arcs with them.

What if an Aragami suddenly broke through? They would be defenseless and it would result to their demise.

Was her Captain okay?

She was tempted to question him, but the serious glint that she caught from the side of his eye had stopped her. He knew what he was doing and she didn't want to offend him by questioning.

He still didn't let go of her hand though.

They made their way out of the den and walked through various streets. Passing by people that would give them looks that she was growing uncomfortable under. The bracelet on her right arm was exposed to all, voicing out who exactly she was, who they were. She didn't notice the glances that her Captain had been giving her.

"Don't tell me that the outgoing and exuberant Vice Captain is shying away from people?" His smooth voice had caused her to blink. With furrowed eyebrows, she looked at him and puffed her chest.

"What are you talking about? Me? Shy? Psh." What she had said earned her chuckles from the male. She only rolled her eyes, no longer focused on the looks that the people were giving her.

She realized that the Captain had just helped her relax. Her realization caused her cheeks to tint red a bit as she turned to the right to hide her face. Luckily, the Captain had been focused on something else. They both stopped in their tracks when they were met with a busy part of the ghetto.

There were multiple stalls situated in area, crowded with people holding bags of what seemed to be food and wide grins as they conversed with one another. Like when she had first came to the place, children ran around laughing gleefully and played.

Banners were hung with thin lines that were attached to various rooftops, there were red lanterns hanging around and paper fans arranged in an appealing manner. The vendors noisily clamored around, trying to get the attention of possible customers.

"Forgive me for lying, Vice Captain." She turned her attention back to the Captain. He was looking back at her with eyes that held his emotions. His lips remained pursed together but she could identify the slight twitch by the corners indicating that he was holding back a smile.

"What do you mean, Captain?" She was confused, they weren't anywhere near the walls.

The dark blonde male could no longer hold back his smile as he turned back to the scene in front of them. His eyes drinking in the street that bustled with life.

"I'm quite aware of how busy you have been the past few days. Director Sakaki has been assigning you multiple missions which are taking a toll on your wellbeing." He paused for a while as his smile turned into a smirk, "Let's just say that I managed to solicit a day off for us."

Her eyes widened and she nearly squealed at his words. Feeling the fatigue slowly draining away at his words, not just at the fact that they have a day off, rather, that he put effort into getting her one. That he thought of her despite how cold he appeared to be at times.

She couldn't find the words to say, her body moved on its own accord as she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his chest. Aware that the thought of it would embarrass her later on, she chose to ignore it and enjoyed staying in his warmth.

"Thank you so much, Julius." Saying those words, she felt a hand run through her hair, another arm tightening around her.

"There's no need to thank me, Brynn." Her heart skipped a beat when he called her by her name. It was a rare occurrence nowadays.

They didn't know how long they were in each others arms, but their ears perked up when they heard an old couple walking past them speak.

"How sweet, just like us when we were younger." An old woman said, her eyes were nearly closed as her arm was wrapped around an elderly man's arm.

"Indeed, young love." They both pulled away with red faces, looking back at each other and laughing at how embarrassed they were. Brynn could tell how flustered the usually calm and collected Captain was when he ushered her forward.

"Now then, didn't you want to try authentic Takoyaki?"

The two God Eaters made their way through the various food stalls and booths that crowded the area. A wide grin could be seen plastered on Brynn's face as she excitedly eyed the food displayed, tempting her. Aware of the reaction and the giddiness that his Vice Captain was expressing, Julius offered to buy her.

Her hesitation had been evident, he even teased her that she was being all shy and demure now, but back at Friar and the Den, she would shamelessly ask every soul to treat her. This earned him a bright blush on the female's face and a bruised upper arm.

After a few more prompts, her hands had been filled with bags of food and treats that they would be lugging around the entire time. She didn't mind, she finally had something to snack on at the den.

The problem was hiding the goods from the others. It wasn't contraband, she just wasn't fond of sharing, Julius would be an exception since he did buy it for them.

At the thought of that, she looked over at him, the two had been walking around more after they decided to share the load of bags. It's been quite some time since she was able to relax like this, holding bags of food instead of her God Arc, and talking casually with the Captain. Despite the two of them staying in the same room, due to the stack of paperwork and missions that had been raining down on them, they hadn't been to have a decent conversation.

Happy would be an understatement to what she was feeling right now.

"It's been awhile since we were able to hang out or even talk, Julius." She voiced her thoughts out as she looked ahead. They were weaving through the stalls that had merchants noisily calling after them. Although she wasn't looking at him, she noticed the motion that he made to look at her.

"I believe that you are correct, Brynn," Her heart skipped a beat, it was one of those rare occurrences when he would call her by her name instead of her title. "I have to admit that I did miss your company." Her heart skipped two beats.

She couldn't help but wonder what was causing her chest to swell up like this.

"Well," she began, clearing her throat in order to forget the thoughts that were crossing her mind earlier, "Old man Sakaki is flooding us with missions, not like we're going to disappear into thin air." She chuckled dryly at her joke. Julius merely huffed in response.

"It's a marvel that I managed to sway him into allowing us to take the day to rest." The ochre haired man admitted, he had submitted requests for day offs, and all of them had been disapproved, that was until he approached the director and attempted to ask him in person.

"I'm guessing that it took you quite some time to convince him." He couldn't help but wonder if his companion had read his mind. He nodded slowly, with a small crawling on his face.

The duo continued to talk, stopping every once in a while in order to mingle inside a store or negotiate with merchants. Brynn remained observant, the entire time that they were there, her companion had been receiving a lot of attention.

She couldn't blame him; he was tall, wore clothes that looked as though he was of royal blood or was a noble, of course, the fact that he was pretty good-looking. A charming face and an aura that screamed notice me. The thought had caused her to release a small chuckle. This earned her a quizzical look from the older one.

"Anything that you find to be amusing?" He asked.

She only chuckled again before replying, "You're quite the celebrity, Captain." Julius only quirked an eyebrow at this, still not getting what the female had been implying. She only waved her freehand in the air, a motion to dismiss the subject. The male chose not to push on.

Something seemed to have caught the Captain's eye as he straightened his posture. Turning to Brynn, he gave an apologetic smile, "I hope that you do not mind exploring the area alone for a few moments?" He paused before continuing, "I just recalled something that Gilbert had asked me to purchase for him."

Although Brynn was curious and was tempted to ask what it was, she figured that it was probably scotch or something alcoholic. She simply gave a small smile and a nod in affirmation.

"I don't mind," She replied. "So, we'll meet up here in…?" Her question trailed off as she waited for him to respond. The young captain paused for a moment in thought before answering.

"20 minutes will do, I believe."

The pair went their separate ways, although Brynn didn't have much of an idea where she wanted to go, she allowed her feet to lead her through the different stalls that had caught her attention. The ones that they previously had not gone to.

"It's amazing how there's still something like this." She remarked, not once did she expect that a small place like where she was would still be bustling with life. It as if the aragami really didn't exist. She figured that this was the normal situation during the pre-aragami age.

She was limited to looking at the different merchandise and food that were tantalizing and calling out to her. Having left her credits back at the branch and relying on the Captain who was now out of sight.

Not seeing the point of further torturing herself by staring at the food that she knew she couldn't have - either way, she couldn't gain too much weight - , she made her way to the bench that was located behind some of the smaller stalls.

Her feet were killing her, despite being a God Eater and having that extra edge, the two had been walking around for hours, even her shoulders were killing her.

"Who would have known that a bag could be heavier than my God Arc." She noted in amusement, the irony. A few steps away from the bench, she noticed a small purple pouch abandoned on top of it. Out of curiosity, she made her way over to it, dropping her plastic bags on the bench and picked up the seemingly discarded pouch.

The moment that she picked it up, she felt it chink, indicating that there were coins inside. The blonde hastily opened it, trying to see whether there was some sort of an identification to see who it belonged to. Fortunately for her, upon zipping it open, she noticed the silver card that Fenrir would issue to the people living in the Ghetto.

She had one herself, but it was black and had the title of God Eater in it. It was also where their paychecks were loaded and it contained all their credits. Whoever lost the pouch must have been panic-stricken. She knew that she would be.

The Vice Captain had to admit that she wasn't exactly broke, she was known to be the 'Blood Unit's Freeloader' sneakily persuading her teammates to treat her every once in a while. Most frequent victims were usually the Captain and Gil, victimizing Romeo every now and then.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, she took out the small card and began to read what had been indicated. A gasp nearly escaped her lips as she felt her skin begin to crawl.

"How convenient!" A familiar voice, one that she didn't want to hear, rang through the noisy air of the area. "You found it for me, killing two birds with one stone." She didn't need to turn around to see who it was.

"Nessa." Of all places that the creep had to appear, it had to be here. Where she was trying to escape the life of being a God Eater. She may have for a few hours, but the sight of the brunette made her cringe. Said brunette probably had another deal to make with her. Without realizing, she was gritting her teeth.

"Woah, woah, Eos." She defensively put up both of her hands in the air, as if admitting defeat, "No need to bare your canines in public. I just came here to get my wallet back. I've been looking for it all over, you know?" Brynn remained as tense as she was from earlier. The strange woman was always unnerving.

Wanting to get things over with, she tossed the pouch which the other had caught without much trouble. There was a knowing smile on the other's face.

"Thank you so much!" Nessa gleefully expressed as she stuffed the pouch into her pocket. "Now then, what about I give you something back in return?"

The blonde cocked an eyebrow at this, and was somewhat perturbed. She already disliked the fact of interacting with the constantly disappearing woman. She didn't want to deal with anything that she had to offer her. Merely watching in silence as the other shuffled through her pockets before sighing deeply.

"Looks like that has to wait a bit, I forgot to bring it." There was a pout etched on her face but Brynn couldn't help but ponder on the words.

Nessa had already planned for them to meet today. Or so she thought.

"Anyways, I really have to get going, Eos." Before she could question the brunette anymore, the other had turned on her heel. "Don't forget about our deal!" The mysterious woman had faded into the crowd of other people. Leaving the other to her thoughts.

She couldn't help but think about what the other had been planning to give her. It bothered her to no end. Not finding the point of just staying there, she decided to continue walking around, hoping to shake away the thoughts.

But whatever it was, she knew that it couldn't be anything good. True, the other hasn't done anything bad to her so far, but she still trusted her gut. And her gut was definitely telling her to stay away from that girl.

"Vice captain," She flinched the moment that a hand found its way to her shoulder, nearly dropping the plastic bags that she was holding on to. Turning slowly, her eyes met with grey ones that caused her to sigh in relief. She gave a brief smile, eyes mirroring it.

"There you are!" She said, the mirth was evident in her face. Her companion only chuckled in reply before using his freehand to ruffle her hair. The shock registered in her face for a brief moment.

When did the captain get so touchy? She dismissed the thought, missing the shocked look on the other's face as well. It had reverted to its usual calm and collected expression.

"I could say the same." Brynn tilted her head at what he said. "I've been looking for you everywhere, Vice Captain. I was quite worried that you got lost." His last sentence had earned him a pout and a glare, one that he found quite endearing for some reason. As a response, he chuckled, ignoring the complaints of the younger one.

"That was just once, Julius!" She countered, trying to nullify what the other had just claimed. It wasn't her fault that the buildings in the City of Mercy looked the same, she wasn't that fond of staring at the letters in the maps provided as well.

Okay, so maybe she wasn't the best when it came to directions. She wouldn't admit that of course. It would only hurt her pride. In addition to her being quite stubborn as well.

Julius wasn't able to keep track of how many times he had chuckled today, but he was certain that it was because of the blonde girl glaring at him while defending herself. He didn't know whether or not that was a good thing, but he was certain that he was glad.

"No need to get so worked up, Vice Captain." He teased, knowing that she would get worked up. "It was you who began defending yourself, I haven't said anything, actually." Just a little bit more, and he was sure that he would be seeing smoke coming out of her ears.

Instead of retorting, Brynn merely huffed before turning on her heel to the direction that they came from. She had assumed that they were going home anyways. Aware that the captain had followed her, she heard his soft chuckle which caused her to smile a bit.

At least somehow, she managed to make him smile. She hasn't been seeing it for the past few days. Stopping in her tracks and turning back, this earned her a quizzical look from the Captain who was drawing nearer.

"Thanks for today, Julius."

Although taken aback, Julius managed to respond.

"It's the least that I can do, Brynn."


	19. Chapter 18

The duvet shifted as she tossed and turned underneath it multiple times within that hour. It had been the night after the two had their day-off and she couldn't get even a blink of sleep. She was tired, but her mind was quite awake.

Could it have been that she was still excited from the events of earlier? Not having anyone else to share it with other than the Captain - who was asleep -. She envied him, they both were tired and yet she was restless.

Maybe she could get some milk or something.

Slowly, she rose from the bed and tiptoed her way towards the small kitchen that they had. She wanted to curse loudly at the fact that they didn't have any milk there, she definitely wasn't keen on drinking creamer either.

She wondered if the lounge was still open.

Barefooted, she made her way towards the door of their room which lead to the halfway. If one call it that, the elevator had been surrounded in a half circle by the rooms of the different Blood Unit members. She hadn't seen the other floors of the place but she was certain that their rooms had been well furnished.

She understood why the 'journalist' woman was so upset in regards to what her comrade had said. Not that she wanted to run into her again. The pink-haired woman had too much character. Based on their first encounter.

After a couple of minutes of navigating her way through the darkness, she arrived at the elevator and eventually to the lobby. It was silent, not a single God Eater was out, but she was certain that she heard an operator typing away.

She had great respect for operators, they worked 24/7, although they had shifts, she knew that most of them prefered to keep working. Like a certain blonde operator that always made her coffee.

'I should send Fran an email or something.' She made a mental note of that before proceeding to the lounge, hoping to feel the carpeted floor as the tiled floors of the lobby made her shiver. She was clad in what usually consisted of her sleepwear, a tank top and a pair of shorts.

Briefly, the memory of the Captain first seeing her in that made her chuckle soundlessly. He had gotten so flustered and ran out the room, not that she was wearing anything indecent. Her shorts were long and her tank top wasn't exactly see-through or a piece of clothing that barely covered anything.

Her thoughts lingered to a certain silvette who was used to flaunting her body. And a certain oden-pan loving girl who wore even less. Although at times she wondered how they could fight wearing such clothes, she would remember that it's none if her business.

She found herself inside the lounge that was dimly lit, indicating that someone was inside. Proving her assumptions, the gentle notes of the piano reached her ears.

It was a haunting melody, a sad one that would definitely bring one back memories. She turned towards the piano to see a familiar idol focusing on the instrument that was placed at the right part of the lounge. She watched from behind as the other's fingers gracefully moving across the white and black keys of the piano.

Unconsciously, she found herself walking closer to the strawberry blonde girl, who was focused on the instrument in front of her. Just when she was barely a few steps away, the piano played a note that made both of them flinch.

"That mistake again…" Yuno sighed in exasperation, Brynn then remembered her as the girl who Romeo had been fanboying over. Her body acted on its own accord, then she found herself clapping, causing the other to quickly spin. Her eyes wide, looking almost like a deer that got caught in front of a light.

"That was beautiful." The God Eater praised, a grin graced her face as she approached the other. It's been awhile since she heard someone play an instrument, the last one had been Gil who she would usually pester to play for her. The piano gave a timid smile while averting her eyes from the newcomer. She had been too immersed in playing to notice anyone. It had been embarrassing since she made a fatal mistake while she was playing.

And yet, the blonde still praised her.

"Thank you," she began, managing to meet the other's ochre colored eyes, her olive colored ones greatly contrasted. The forest meeting the sun's rays. "I'm struggling with this certain part, however." The songstress paused for a moment to sigh, "I don't know if I'll be ready by later." At the mention of the word later, Brynn cocked an eyebrow.

"Later?" Had they forgotten to update her regarding an important event? That was unlikely, she had been with the Captain the entire morning, and even managed to stick around with a couple of Blood members during the rest of the day. They surely would have reminded her if something important were to occur.

Right?

A soft giggle had released her from her reverie of thoughts, her once downcasted eyes turned to face the idol. She was met with the girl covering her mouth to soften her giggles.

"The celebration," Brynn's eyebrows remained furrowed, still not understanding, "The party organized by Kota." With that being said, her lips formed into an 'o'.

She had to admit that she completely forgot about that, it's been awhile since they first arrived. It hasn't been mentioned since then, unless, that was what Nana and Romeo had been talking about earlier.

"Are you excited for tomorrow?" Nana asked her male blonde companion as the dreamy look in her eyes had been evident. Brynn happened to pass by to get some ice coffee from one of her favorite vending machines.

One that didn't have weird concotions in it.

"I'm pumped about it!" Brynn chose to ignore them and swiped her card to purchase the drink that she had been eyeing. Deciding to buy a few extra ones in case she needed them.

She also remembered why she couldn't fall asleep.

"I completely forgot about it." The blonde sheepishly admitted, matching her grin with her words. This earned her another smile from the pretty girl who sat on the stool. "Well then, don't let me bother you. You should go practice a bit more." She suggested with a small smile, walking closer to the grand piano and leaned a bit against it.

Although she was uneasy, Yuno readied herself by taking a deep breath. Positioning her fingers over the piano keys as her foot settled themselves on the sustain pedal. Once she was ready, she began to play.

The piece had been the same one as the had been playing earlier. The God Eater watched as the girl skillfully transversed her fingers along the monochromatic keys.

Brynn wasn't new to seeing the girl play, after the numerous videos that Romeo had forced her to watch, she had to admit that the girl was good. And that she was guilty of streaming her songs whenever she had the time.

Without realizing it, 3 minutes had passed by quickly and the pianist had successfully played the piece without mistakes. At the end of it, Brynn clapped, careful not to make too much noise but showed her joy and amazement in her expression. The pianist couldn't help but mirror the smile with one of her own.

"I assume that you managed to do it without mistakes this time." Brynn winked and straightened herself up.

"I did," Yuno stood up as well, beginning to fix the piano by putting back the velvet cloth that covered the keys and the cover itself. Brynn waited patiently as she did. After she had pushed back the chair, the Idol turned to face her. "Thank you for the support."

"I don't think that you needed it." Brynn teased, "You wouldn't be this admired and famous if you didn't do well during your performances.

A sheepish smile found itself in Yuno's face, there was some truth in what the female was saying after all. "I'm not that famous… But, even so, no matter how many times one would perform on stage, it's still nerve-racking." She confessed.

"I'm certain that you'll do fine tomorrow." She wasn't lying when she said that, the girl did pretty good during her last practice. "I don't believe that we've ever formally met. I mean, bumping into you isn't something that I would be calling formal, I don't know about you, though." This earned her soft laughter from the songstress.

"I suppose," The olive-eyed girl attempted to return the humor. "It's been quite a while since that encounter." She mused, the other nodded in agreement.

"I'm Brynn Amaryllis Mercu, pleased to finally officially meet you." She said with grin that reached the corners of her ears, offering a hand for the other to shake.

"You're more popular than you think you are, Vice Captain." Brynn looked at her with a puzzled expression which the other had quickly dismissed, "Yuno Ashihara." She gladly accepted the handshake with a polite smile on her face.

Yuno's warm hand met with Brynn's cold one. After a couple of seconds, they let go. Still offering each other the warm smiles that they had for each other earlier.

Brynn was glad that the girl in front of her wasn't a snobby or stuck-up person. She definitely couldn't tolerate those kinds of people. Often tempted to kick them in the face or show off her favorite finger.

She wasn't referring to her thumb. Nor to her pinky, index, and ring finger.

Brushing those thoughts aside, she knew that she definitely would be enjoying this girl's company. She had something to make Romeo envious about. Maybe she could use it as bribe to give her his share of food.

The two continued to idly chat, Brynn, pouring herself a glass of milk, making tea for the songstress who gladly accepted it. They sat by the lounge bar area.

"If you don't mind me asking," Yuno began after ending their topic regarding some of the songs that Yuno produced. "Why are you up so late?"

Brynn then remembered that she randomly entered the lounge in her sleepwear without much explanation, she figured that the clothes and the milk gave it away.

"I had trouble sleeping, so I decided to get some milk, but I heard you playing and forgot about the milk." Yuno's dainty giggles filled the room again.

"I suppose that music makes you forget about a lot of things." The singer said in a knowing tone, averting her eyes from her companion. The blonde merely nodded at this, there wasn't much for her to forget anyways.

After a couple of minutes, random topics, and laughter that they tried to keep to a minimum, the two decided that it was time that they head in for the night. Brynn had found out that Yuno also happened to be staying in the same housing area floor as them, so they made their way there at the same time.

"It was nice getting to know you, Brynn." Yuno said the moment that they stepped on to the floor that they were staying. Labelled as the Blood Section.

"Likewise," she smiled warmly in response, her hand finding its way towards the other's shoulder. "Get some rest."

Brynn swore that she saw Yuno flinch ever-so-slightly, but it was quickly masked with a soft yawn and a smile, "You too." With that being said, she made her way to her room which was at right side nearest to the elevator. Brynn's room was parallel to it, she watched as Yuno entered before allowing herself to retreat into hers.

The moment that Romeo entered the room, his eyes had widened as a grin began to spread on his lips. Inside the lounge was the other members of Blood, as well as other God Eaters from the Far East.

"There's so much people!" He excitedly announced, like a child that got lost in the candy store. What he meant by people, was the women that dressed alluringly. Gil, who had entered the same time as him, noticed this and rolled his eyes.

"You and Haru would definitely get along." Romeo however, chose to ignore this remark and hurriedly made his way to one of the bar stools where a girl clad in green sat.

Speaking of the casanova, Gil saw his friend hitting on a few girls. Since he pitied some of the women, he excused his friend so that the two of them could converse. Although he wasn't directly being told, he was certain that the women were thanking him.

Brynn, who was dressed in the Blood uniform that was provided for long blade users, stood by the corner with a cup in her hand. It wasn't nothing too strong, she was tired and they just came from a mission, and she was certain that she would get a major hangover if she tried drinking anything stronger. The blonde wasn't exactly sure how parties were supposed to be like, the small celebration that blood had before didn't really count as one.

She definitely was enjoying, the casual atmosphere, the smiles that people would offer her whenever they passed by, the delicious food that was laid out for all of them. It was something that made her feel like she was normal. Like her occupation didn't involve having to rush head first into the battlefield with monsters that couldn't be defeated with conventional weapons.

It made her wish that it would last longer.

"My parents used to hold parties all the time." A voice chimed in from beside her, she didn't need to turn to see who the newcomer was. His deep masculine voice, and the way that he articulated his words gave him away.

"Ah, really?" She acknowledged him before taking a small sip from her cup, its bitterness seeping into her tongue, "I didn't take you as someone who enjoyed socializing that much." She quickly realized that her words may have seemed offensive, "I don't mean that in an offensive way, Captain."

Julius merely chuckled at his Vice Captain's defensive words, "I don't, but being a Visconti did require me to participate in such gatherings. Even at a young age." He sighed at the memory, it wasn't a one of annoyance, rather, longing and sadness.

"You know," Brynn wavered, thinking carefully of what she was going to say next, "you don't have to tell me this, if you're not comfortable with it." This earned her a soft smile from the charming male.

"There's no one else I'd like to share it with, Vice Captain." Brynn didn't know whether she should feel flattered or flustered, being the stubborn girl she was and not wanting to give Julius the satisfaction of seeing her get worked up, she mustered a small smile.

"I suppose that I could say that I'm honored that you choose to share that with me, Julius." She admitted, it felt nice to be trusted.

Julius hummed, taking a sip from his own cup, Brynn couldn't believe that the Captain was willingly drinking on his own now. However, she couldn't stop the grin that threatened to show itself the moment that she saw how his face contorted upon tasting the bitter liquid.

Pitying him, she offered him her drink, which he eyed curiously, "Here, try mine. I put lime in it." They exchanged their drinks, Julius sipped and he sighed in relief. Brynn decided to try his drink and her eyes widened upon realizing that it was a strong one. The other had failed to notice this.

"I remember that other business partners would force their daughters to play with me or get to know me." He chuckled in an amused manner, eyes closing indicating that his laugh had been a sincere one. "It was quite funny, how they attempted to pair me up with them. My parents never forced me to like any of them, however." Another sad expression showed on his face.

Trying to lighten up the mood, Brynn's hand found its way to put itself over Julius' hand which had been resting on the tables that were connected to the windows. "Well, you must have been quite the looker even as a kid." She winked, which earned a heartfelt chuckle from the male.

"If I didn't know any better, I would have assumed that you were flirting with me, Vice Captain." As if teasing him, Brynn squeezed his hand and winked at him.

"And if I was?"

The two of them began laughing, not knowing the slight truth that existed in those words.

Before the two could continue their conversation, the mic's feedback had earned their attention. Brynn hissing ever so slightly at the irritating sound. Following that, was the echo of the mic being tapped rapidly.

"Mic test, hello, hello?" The duo turned towards the low platform, the one where the piano that the songstress had previously been playing in. There stood a familiar orange haired captain, devoid of the clipboard that he always seemed to have. The wide grin on his face had ever been the same, while he remained unfazed by the multiple people who had been looking at him.

"Hello, everyone! Thanks to all of you guys for coming today!" He began, his jubilant voice had successfully drawn everyone's attention, causing them to halt in whatever activity they were doing. "I'm sure that all of you are having fun, and though you guys might already know, today, we formally welcome the one and only Blood Unit!" The people cheered, giving warm smiles to the members who were scattered around the place.

Brynn couldn't hold back a chuckle the moment that she noticed that Julius had ever so slightly flinched the moment that Kota's eyes met with his, "Maybe the executive unit's Captain would have a few words to say. Let's all welcome, Captain Julius Visconti!" The people cheered once again, raising their glasses, in the air, some unknown female God Eaters stared longingly at the young captain who -despite being hesitant- made his way towards the First Unit's Captain.

The dark blonde haired man gingerly took the microphone, unperturbed by the looks that he has been receiving. She wasn't surprised, she knew that he represented the Blood Unit and served as a replacement for Doctor Rachel for meetings involving Fenrir HQ. This would be a walk in the park for him.

"Thank you, Captain Kota for your warm welcoming." He nodded towards the other who had been a few feet away from him, this meritted him a grin. "It is our pleasure, to join forces with the Far East and to extend a hand, especially in defeating the Psions." His modulated and husky voice reverberated throughout the entire lounge. His shoulders remained squared and he stood with pride as he introduced his unit. "The Blood Unit, will aspire to do its best to provide whatever help that we can offer." His speech had ended, and the moment that it did, he earned another hearty applause and had returned the mic to the orange-haired male.

"Thank you so much, Captain Visconti!" Kota nodded, mirroring the action that Julius had done earlier, before turning back to the crowd. "Now then, to get this party started, I'd like to call on Ms. Yuno Ashihara who is here today to sing for us!"

All eyes turned to the brown-haired girl standing a few feet from Brynn. No matter how close she realized they were, Brynn did not take notice of her presence. Perhaps she arrived late, or she was too preoccupied with the Captain who was making his way back towards her.

"Quite the speech there, Captain Visconti." Although Brynn frequently used the title, she knew how to use it in a way that appeared to be teasing, and would secure her an eyeroll or a huff of annoyance from the young captain.

This time, it had been the former.

"Perhaps, next time…" There was a mischievous glint in the male's eyes as he spoke, Brynn couldn't help but cock an eyebrow at this, "I'll have you do the speech in my stead. It must be boring for the people to hear just my voice all the time."

It was her turn to whine. Although, she couldn't help but disagree with the last few words that the Captain had said. That people would bore of his voice. His voice was something that she would never bore of listening. The way that he articulated his words, the wide, and deep variety of words that he would use, the way that it sounded to effortless coming from him.

The man wasn't just beautiful in terms of appearance, his character and even his voice matched whatever physical characteristics that he had. It would be hard for one to believe that he's a slayer of the gods.

The regal-looking clothes that he was usually donned in added to that doubt. He was princely, kingly even. Fit to sit in a throne, as his people would either admire him.

Or envy him.

"Brynn, is everything alright? Do you feel unwell?" She blinked, realizing that she had dazed off in the middle of their conversation. Thinking about him. Her face burned up, incapable of holding it back at the realization of her thoughts.

"I-I'm fine." She cursed herself for stammering, causing her to grow even more red. Even the tips of her ears burned, which were fortunately concealed by her platinum-colored hair that flowed down her back like waterfalls.

The man in front of her had not been indoctrinated. Only staring at her with more curiosity and concern than earlier.

"Are you certain? You seem to be burning up." The red tint on her cheeks doubled the moment that his fingers brushed against her forehead.

She didn't know if he was teasing her. However, the way that he bit his lower lip, and how his eyebrows furrowed in frustration had proved otherwise.

"I must have had too much to drink." She hastily said while lifting up the nearly empty cup that she had in her hands, consequently, brushing aside the hand that travelled towards her neck. She knew that it was perfectly normal for people to check temperature that way, but with him doing it, she knew that it was the reason why she was burning up.

So much for trying to act cool and collected.

Julius couldn't help but notice how… out of character his Vice Captain was acting. She wasn't intolerant towards alcohol, in fact, she was just next to Gil when it comes to holding down their liquor. The drink that he got wasn't that strong either. Or so he thought, he had exchanged with hers after all.

Before he could say anything more, the younger one had attempted to slip away, "I'll go get some water and some fresh air. I'll be back." He could no longer protest, as the girl managed to gain some distance between the two. Before he could follow her, Gil had approached her along with Haru. Despite the encounter that they had the previous day, the two were acting quite cordial towards each other.

She wasn't lying when she said that she needed some water and fresh air. The blonde found herself to the company of the view of the dark blue sky and the small buildings that had been constructed around the branch. Lights flickered, some open, some closed. From where she was standing, the people looked like tiny ants, busy with creating or scavenging for food.

She sighed, taking a sip from the plastic cup that had previously been filled with alcohol. Now, filled with water that tasted extra bland due to the richness of the whiskey. It soothed her nonetheless.

She had no idea, how the Captain managed reduce her to a stuttering and flustered teenager. It was a foreign feeling, one that she was growing to be more familiar with.

Whatever it was, she didn't want it. Nor did she need it.

Call her stubborn, but despite the joy and amusement that it gave her, she knew that it would only get in the way of her job. Their job. Also, she was sure that the Captain only saw her as a friend, a colleague. Nothing more.

Though she wished it wasn't the case.

She groaned in annoyance, her own thoughts had betrayed her once again. Perhaps she should have brought more whiskey instead. Instead, she decided to remain on top of the small platform where she sat, enjoying the peaceful view that had been provided.

"How do you do, Eos?"


	20. Chapter 19

It bothered her to no end.

A couple of days had passed since the party and that 'unplanned' encounter with Nessa. She swore that the girl was some sort of stalker or something, always knowing where she was. Following her like some sort of hound searching for a fox.

Fortunately, the days that had passed, she was extremely occupied. A lot of people had been asking for her help, particularly, Ciel and Licca. Ciel found out why her bullets had been acting strangely previously, and asked her if she could go out on missions with her. Obviously, she couldn't refuse the silvette.

Licca, on the other hand, was developing a device that apparently would assist them during missions. She was requested to go out and hunt for certain materials. Often carrying those missions on her own.

Paperwork had been stacking up, increase in missions and the new Psions had caused this. She also had to participate in the meetings that the unit had.

Of course, she would not forget to add to that, the special missions that the director had endlessly been assigning to her. She immediately regretted agreeing to even help with those missions.

She also heard from the Captain that in a couple of days, Rachel would visit and that she wanted to see her.

Fantastic.

She was tired, but of course, she couldn't say that out loud. She couldn't openly complain, not even to Julius. Especially not to Julius. No matter how busy she considered she was, how drained she knew she was, she was certain that the young Captain had more on his plate.

When was the last time that they even talked?

Ever since she acted awkwardly during the party, Julius hadn't been talking to her as much. Well, it was given that they were busy, but for some reason, she found herself hesitant to approach him.

It sucked for her, since the two of them did stay in one room.

A sigh escaped her lips as she stared at the steaming mug of coffee in front of her. It's been sitting in front of her for a couple of minutes now, and yet, thin strings of smoke escaped it.

"You know, that frown of yours is really going to ruin your pretty face."

Damnit.

So much for trying to hide, she didn't bother sparing him a glance as she continued to stare at her coffee. As if it were the most exciting and interesting thing in the world.

She still ignored him when he settled himself beside her. The blonde didn't need to look whether or not the man had a wide grin on his face, and she knew that he would start his flirting maneuvers once again.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna try to get flirty with you today."

"And what were you doing just a few seconds ago?" She retorted, finally looking at him. She saw him with a gentle smile instead. That was new.

"Merely stating a fact." She hummed, turning back to her coffee and picking it up to bring it to her lips. The bitter liquid spilled into her tastebuds, nearly making her shudder at how strong it actually was.

The two remained in silence, completely aware of each other's presence but choosing to ignore one another. That was until, they sighed at the same time. For once, Brynn looked at him and chuckled, he chuckled back.

"Looks like we're both going through some crazy shit." She admitted, weirded out at the fact that she was actually willing to converse with him.

"I can tell…" Brynn knew that she would never get used to the gentle smile that Haru had on his face. It replaced the smug smirk that he always had, and she had to admit that she preferred his expression right now.

And for once, he kept his eyes off her body.

"So, do you wanna tell me your problems?" Brynn cocked at eyebrow at his suggestion. Pausing for a while, with eyes staring at the carpeted floor.

"Only if you tell me yours."

This derived a chuckle from the green-haired male. After he was done laughing, he stared out the window, deep in thought.

"Where do I start…" He said to himself, or to no one in particular.

"From the top?" Brynn sarcastically suggested. Haru looked at her, the smug smirk returning to his face. She was expecting a reply that would irk her.

"Right," he cleared his throat, only then did Brynn notice the can of beer that he had in his hands. So early in the morning. He took a swing of it before beginning his tale, "so, I'm sure that you're dying to know about what happened in Scotland."

'Scotland?' She racked her brain for anything that would relate to it, upon realizing, she tried to hide her surprise when she remembered that both Haru and Gil came from the Glasgow branch. She felt ashamed, that she didn't know anything more than that about her comrade and good friend.

"I suppose." Haru used this as a prompt to actually begin. His eyes drifted away the moment that they began speaking, as if he were reminiscing.

"Well, as you know, both Gil and I came from the Glasgow branch. It was pretty small actually, tiny even. Like, there were just three of us there. Me, Gil, and our Captain." Brynn noticed the pain that was evident in his voice when he said Captain, his voice cracked, although, he tried his best to conceal it.

"Kate Lawry… She was… She was my fianceé."

Although she wanted to react by saying that she found it impossible for him to be an engaged man, she kept her mouth shut and decided that it wasn't the best time. The man did seem pretty serious and she didn't want to upset him.

Not this time.

"We did pretty fine back then, Scotland wasn't usually attacked by big aragami. You know, the usual zubats in today's world." Brynn cocked an eyebrow at the unfamiliar word, was that some sort of Aragami only found in that place? The male only chuckled and waved his hand in the air, dismissing it.

"Then one day…" He trembled, and despite being an adult, his tears began to prickle with tears. Brynn bit her lower lip, guilty that she was making him resurface old memories that he would rather not remember.

"Haru, we can save it for some other time if you…" She was reaching out to him as she said this, about to pat his shoulder gently, when a massive headache hit her. And everything went blurry.

She was in a room, with three different people, she recognized two of them. The male clad in violet was Gil, while another, laying down on an unfamiliar girl's lap was Haru. Brynn put the pieces together, the girl was Kate.

"Gil! Don't just go on flirting with my girl while I'm here." Haru said, she knew it was a joke, his one eye remained closed, opening the other to look at his comrade. The girl, who she presumed was Kate, giggled.

"It's not what you think, Haru." Gil defensively answered, eyes widening as his deep and husky voice reverberated throughout the room. Because of what he said, the room had been filled with laughter.

The scene changed again once more, she could only see Haru. He was fighting off an Ogretail, but she could clearly see his expression. Eyebrows were furrowed, and it was evident that he was speaking to someone.

"Kate! Kate, answer! Haru!" She realized that he was speaking to his earpiece. The moment that he had slain the bipedalled Aragami, he rushed out the ruined building. Brynn followed, she stared down as her nearly transparent body transversed along the rocks and grass pathway.

After a couple of minutes of running, she managed to catch up with Haru. And when they stopped, the green-haired male fell to the ground, cradling the once lively woman.

A cry of pain echoed throughout the entire place.

A gasped escaped her lips as the vision faded away. She had not expected that, and so did her companion who looked equally as confused. However, in his eyes, they held pity. He looked as if he wanted to say something.

She beat him to it.

"Haru," There was a tinge of sadness in her voice as she spoke, recalling everything that she had just saw, "I saw… What happened."

The two of them were in utter silence the moment that she finished speaking. Brynn was lost to her thoughts, not sure if she should push Haru to speak. She didn't need to hear the entire story from him since she had literally just seen everything. Or what appeared to be everything that happened at least.

"I'm sure that with that, you understand." His voice was soft, nearly inaudible. The sad look on his face had been wiped away as he turned back to face her, with a smile that barely reached his eyes. "Now, enough about me." He cleared his throat, trying to get rid of how shaky his voice was. "I've told you my story, now, what's eating at you?"

She then remembered that she told him that she would tell him why she was scowling the entire time if he told her his. As she was about to speak, the Fourth Unit captain beat her to it.

"Let me guess, it's that pretty boy Captain of yours, isn't it?" She nearly scoffed at the nickname, but nodded nonetheless. How the other managed to catch on so fast puzzled her.

"It wounds me!" The green haired male suddenly became more animated and hunched over the counter, hitting it with his fist once. Brynn cocked an eyebrow at the action.

"You're being dramatic again." For someone who was moping earlier, he seemed energetic. Maybe if she tried to leave quietly, he wouldn't notice. The blonde tried to stand, but instead, her hand was grabbed and pulled down, causing her to yelp.

"Don't leave!" Yelled Haru, as his olive eyes finally met with hers. "Although he beat me to it, and the damn kid threatened me the other day, I'm not gonna get that in between our friendship!" He declared, causing Brynn to wonder if she was speaking to Emil.

"I don't know how that would affect you, Haru." Instead, she was ignored. The other stood up and gestured for her to wait for him. Although she was tempted to leave, she found the company of the older one quite entertaining.

She wouldn't admit it, but she didn't want to be alone.

A couple of seconds later, the casanova returned with two cans of beer in his hand. The one that he had earlier had been discarded. The moment that he arrived near her, he took his seat and handed Brynn one of the drinks.

"I have my coffee." Brynn gestured to the nearly forgotten cup of coffee. She clicked her tongue the moment that she realized that it had gone cold.

Haru smirked, understanding what had caused the other's annoyance, "You know, I'd choose ice cold beer over lukewarm coffee 10 out of 10 times." He paused for a while, his grin deepening. Aware that she had been defeated, Brynn took the yellow can from his hands. It's chillness cooled her hands.

It provided a sense of relief.

"Thanks, I guess."

"It will loosen the nerves." Haru began, taking a huge gulp from his own can, "Now then, start talking."

She was hesitant. Her problem appeared to be a pebble sitting next to the boulder that his problem could be compared to. Haru noticed this, the way that her eyebrows trembled and how her fingers remained a bit too long on the can's opener.

"I know what you're thinking." Brynn gave him a questioning look. "You're comparing your problem with mine." She blinked, he just read through her.

"Listen, kid. Never, ever, compare your problems with others. No problem is ever greater or smaller, it's still a problem that needs to be given a solution." He ended his wise words by taking another swing. Brynn only stared at him with a look that screamed unbelievable.

"Wow…" She finally spoke, earning the other's attention, "Never thought that you could be wise, Haru." It was his turn to click his tongue as he put a hand over his heart.

"Why do you think that I'm the only one pursuing the search for the royal grail?" She quirked an eyebrow at this, but before she could question him. He changed the topic once again.

"Now then, about your Captain." Brynn couldn't help but wonder why he was so intent on talking to her about the dark blonde male.

"Honestly," Brynn began with hesitance, "I don't really think that this is much of a problem?" She tried to wiggle her way out of the situation, but Haru kept his gaze focused on her.

"I'm waiting."

"Well, aren't you stubborn?" The blonde rolled her eyes, "I guess that I'm just bothered,"

"Obviously." He interjected.

"that the two of us don't get to talk too much anymore. And that, things are awkward." There was utter silence between the two. Before Haru let out a sigh of relief, earning him a puzzled look from his companion.

"I must be getting old," he began to swirl the can of beer in his hands while he gazed out the window. "youngsters nowadays and their problems." The greenhaired male then faced her.

"You know, it's only awkward if you make it to be awkward." He tilted his head to the side, "Is there anything that should make things awkward between the two of you?"

Brynn blinked. Realizing that his words were true.

"Now tell me," Her attention snapped to him waiting for him to continue. "are things really awkward between the two of you or are you pushing yourself away from him?"

He was right. It was her acting awkward, it was her not attempting to talk to him. Perhaps the other would have wanted to give her space thinking that she needed it.

Immediately, she stood up. Nearly knocking over the can of beer where her fingers had landed.

"I guess that I knocked some sense into you." He smirked, eyes closing as he smiled. He nearly toppled over when he was tightly hugged by the other which caught him off guard.

The moment she let go, she flashed him a genuine smile. Despite how much she hated his guts, his words made sense and she was sort of relief that she talked to him.

"That's all that you're getting." She accusingly pointed a finger at him before getting ready to walk away. "Thanks, Haru." A smile formed as he watched her retreating figure. Haste and excitement was evident in her movement.

"Anytime." Then she left, leaving the man. A new determination on her face that flared up.

With a sigh, he looked up at the clouds as if searching for something… or someone. There was sadness in his eyes as they searched for the nonexistent object. Or one that previously existed.

"Is this something that you would have done, Kate?"

What did he do wrong?

Julius couldn't help but think as he busied himself with papers that needed signing, reports that needed to be done. In addition to burning certain letters that troubled him to no end. His teammates didn't need to see that. He didn't need to give them a reason to doubt him.

And yet, the one who was closest to him had been denying him any attention. Any recognition.

He sighed at that, running a hand through his unruly locks as he tugged it. Trying to get rid of the

Headache that was beginning to poke his head.

It was after the party. She began avoiding him. The vice captain had suddenly changed in demeanor eversince that day. She was quiet, detached. He knew that it wasn't simply because they were busy.

He had done something wrong. But he didn't know what he did wrong.

The two were only joking around, casually talking and sharing stories. Then after that, it was so difficult to get a reaction from her.

It was awkward even.

He tapped his pen against his desk, not really sure what he was going to do next. Well, he did, he just wasn't capable of doing anything more. He was drained. Not sure if it was because of the missions or if it was because of that certain blonde.

He was sure that it was the latter.

His tablet's screen lit up to reveal a message from Hibari. He knew that it was a notification regarding a mission. He placed his pen down, making sure that it wouldn't roll off the desk, then grabbed the black rectangular device.

As if fate had been playing a game with him, the moment that he began reading his mission details, he discovered that it would be one with the Vice Captain.

Not the entire team of Blood, just her. Just him and her.

He didn't know whether he should be thrilled, since the two had been awkward for whatever reason it was. He didn't know if she would choose to ignore him or to finally let him know what was wrong.

But he couldn't let his personal problems trouble him. After all, this was work.

With a sigh, he got up and stretched a bit, hearing some of the joints and bones click. The grey-eyed man had been sitting for quite some time.

"It certainly is troublesome to get attached." He walked out of his room, he needed to release some steam anyways.

Sariel. The deceiving goddess like aragami. With the grace of a butterfly but was as deadly as a bee.

It was their target, fortunately, a lone one. At the abandoned carrier. He knew that this was her favorite place. The best among the worst, at least.

Like all the other places that they travelled too, there was always one thing that was common in all of them.

They had to kill aragami there, and likewise, there were people that were slain by those beast.

Julius scanned the area, waiting for his companion to land from the chopper. The flight was quiet, atmosphere was tense. As if they wanted to talk but couldn't bring themselves to do so.

He turned to look at her, the moment that he heard someone landing and dust collecting at his feet. She landed a few feet away from him.

Brynn was wearing what he presumed to be her favorite set of clothes. A black coat that could almost function as a dress, it's edges hanging just above her hips, and blood red pants that stuck to her skin, along with black boots that nearly matched his. Realizing that his eyes lingered a bit too long, he turned back to the bay attempting to hide his reddening cheeks.

"Are you ready to proceed, Vice Captain?" He heard the shifting of a god arc, knowing that she had switched to her arc's gun mode.

"Certainly." He thought that she was being cold, using such serious words instead of her useful playful ones. Before he could react, a blur passed him.

"Can you keep up, Captain?"

A smirk reached his lips. That was more like it.

The mission went by smoothly, only a couple of scratches and burnt clothes caused by the Sariel's lasers.

"I can't believe it tore through my sleeves." She whined while glaring at the mass of oracle cells. "I just got these repaired, these are my favorite."

Julius smiled to himself as he summoned the black creature out of his God Arc in order to devour. He was glad that he knew the Vice Captain more than he thought, even knowing her favorite set of clothes.

Although, it still puzzled him to no end why the other had been ignoring him for a couple of days and was now talking to him as if nothing had happened.

"It won't take long to repair that, Brynn." He raised the God Arc in the air the moment that it was done having it's share. The core glowed, a small text appeared as hologram beside it showing the items that he got from the aragami.

Not that he ever needed to upgrade his weapon. So far, there was no branch for his weapon to upgrade into. He was always waiting for Licca to inform him, in order to be ready, he saved his materials.

It was Brynn's turn. He took note that this time, she was using a long blade. She had informed him regarding the fact that she was able to change weapons because of her Blood Art. Although, he knew that she left some information out, but decided not to press her about it.

Maybe he could share his materials with her.

The same black creature appeared and began to consume what was left of the aerial beast. Like what he had done, she raised the blade in the air waiting for the hologram to appear. Her tongue clicked as if indicating her annoyance.

She was about to walk away, ready to head back to extraction. But he knew that he wouldn't have the chance to ask other than now. Hastily, he grabbed her arm, causing her to flinch.

"Vi- Brynn…" He corrected himself, although he wanted to be serious about it, he knew that acting more as a friend would allow her to open up. With his guidance, he made her face him.

Their eyes met, grey clashing with gold ones. He knew that she was tempted to draw her eyes away from him. But she remained still though hesitant.

"Yes, Julius?" He still couldn't understand her, why she was acting so strange. Still, he didn't know why he cared.

"Why have you been ignoring me the past few days?" Her mouth twitched ever so slightly, perhaps she was taken aback by how blunt he was. But he didn't care. He didn't want to waste time.

Despite them performing quite well in their mission, it could affect them in future battles.

Yes, that was why.

He waited for her response, eyes unwavering and grip remained constant, "I…" she hesitated in speaking, but he didn't pressure. Well tried not to. "I just didn't want to bother you, I know that you've been busy the past few days."

She was lying, he knew it. But she wouldn't be lying without a reason, right? However, why would she be lying in the first place? To him of all people? He searched her eyes, but his grip began to waver, with a sigh he let her go.

He would buy her lie, just this time.

"I am never too busy for you, Vice Captain. You should know that." He went with it, giving her a small smile and he swore that she could see the guilt glint in her eyes.

"I apologize if I caused you trouble during the past few days, Captain." Her eyes darted to the floor, he knew why she couldn't meet his gaze.

Perhaps, it would be better if the two would dismiss this and go back to normal. But he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong. That there's something that he should know.

"Nonsense," his hand found its way to her face as unconsciously, he stroked her cheek with his thumb. Causing her to look back up at him with wide eyes and parted lips. He too was caught off guard and quickly let go. Turning around to hide the blush that shamelessly began to form. "Let's head back."

He also missed the blush that formed on hers.


	21. Chapter 20

It was darkness, as usual, it's been a reoccurring event now. Her being consumed by darkness, by visions. She braced herself, readying herself for whatever would happen.

A blinding light followed the darkness, contrasting it, causing her eyes to squint at the next sight.

Maybe it wouldn't be that bad if she didn't struggle.

The light faded away to reveal a grand scene. An enormous room that appeared to be a ballroom, a rare sight nowadays. It had been filled with people, she knew who these were, people who were rich. Who could still afford to live lavishly despite the aragami outbreak.

It was sickening. How they flaunted their wealth, dismissing the fact that there were plenty who struggled to live. Struggled to find food.

Not that there was much that they could do about it.

The people were dressed in lavish gowns and suits and ties. Colors of black, blue, gold, violet, red. The color of blood.

Her eyes scanned the golden ballroom, velvet lined the grand stairs that led down to where the people mingled. She knew none of the faces.

Except for one that stood at the top of the stairs. A young dark blonde male with grey eyes. Clad in a suit and tie that fit a small child.

Julius.

Accompanying her was a man and a woman. The man was dressed in a navy blue suit that was lined with medals on the right chest. His resemblance had been uncanny to the young Julius. The only difference was that he had green eyes and a beard and moustache.

The woman on the other side had brown hair and the same grey eyes. The was clad in a grey gown that sparkled under the bright lights. Lined with jewels that made her look more ethereal.

Now she knew where Julius got his good looks.

The trio made their way down the crowd and had been greeted by the people that swarmed them. They gave smiles obviously had made them more likable by the people around them.

Young Julius getting the most attention, being fawned over by multiple adults that complimented the parents. Proud smiles appeared on their faces as they boasted about their child.

Although, she realized one thing. She couldn't hear anything. In annoyance, she stayed to watch, trying to understand and decipher everything that was happening.

Nothing eventful had been happening, she found everything boring but her eyes had been drilled to the young Julius. He barely reached his father's shoulders, but she knew that he was tall for his age. Lean and showed what he would look like as he grow older.

A couple had approached them, wide smiles on their faces that had been returned by the couple. Julius' father tenderly embraced the black haired man while his wife took the blonde woman's hand in her hand.

They exchange a few words, laughing and patting each other's backs as they conversed. Young Julius stared curiously at the two, she bet that he observed that the two conversed most with the two of them compared to the other guest. The black haired man then kneeled, placing a hand on Julius' shoulder before grinning. Julius nodded to whatever he had said, then quickly, the man fished something out of his pocket. She squinted, trying to see what it was, but the young boy had quickly hid it with a wide grin on his face.

The sudden jolt of the car had roused her from her sleep. This allowed a groan of displeasure to escape her lips as she attempted to sit straight.

"I'll drive next time." She announced, glaring at the brown haired man who had taken the wheel. In the passenger's seat, sat everyone's favorite casanova. He looked back at her and waved a peace sign in the air, eyes squinting as he smiled.

"Old Gil here never passed his driving lessons."

"I'd like to see you do better, Haru."

Despite the casual jokes that were thrown every once in awhile, the atmosphere inside the van remained tense. It couldn't be helped as multiple thoughts ran through their thoughts. Different from one another, but had been caused by a similar thing.

They were going to finally face it, and hopefully, defeat it. An aragami that took away a friend and a loved one, a captain, and a protegee. The Rufus Caligula.

Brynn wasn't supposed to be coming, but she was stubborn and insisted. Gil could never use his towering height and cold glares to silence her, no matter how much he tried to scare her, he knew that her decision would never change. She was stubborn, at times it was good, others… Not so.

"It's as important to me as it is to you," She glared at him, not flinching under the towering man's gaze. "I'm here for you."

She knew that she could help, that she couldn't leave the two alone with their emotions running wild. They needed someone who was stable. Well, sort of stable. At least she knew that she wouldn't do anything stupid. Or at least, try not to.

She also did it as her thanks to the eldest among them. He did play a big part to improve her relationship with the Captain. Fortunately, things seemed to have returned to normal.

The van came to a stop, favorably, more gentle. Brynn silently thanked Gil for allowing her to keep her lunch in her stomach. She prepared her equipment accordingly. Despite the limited information that they had, they had been informed that it would be weak against blaze and spark. It would also be fast, so she went for the Railknife and the Kurogane Blast gun loaded with bullets that Ciel had crafted for her.

Call her arrogant, but she felt pretty confident that they would do well. They had to.

The trio hastily made their way out of the parked vehicle. The voice from the comms had roused them from their own thoughts.

"Target has been sighted by the scouts. Estimated arrival time is 60 seconds." It buzzed a bit as Hibari paused, "I certainly hope that you all are ready, this will be a long fight."

"As ready as we'll ever be." Brynn replied for the three of them, giving curt nods to her companions who had returned them. They watched over the carrier. She had been here just last week, all was quiet. Typical of the place.

It was the calm before the storm.

She switched to her blast gun, loading it with a bunch of OP. As limited by Fenrir, she only had 5 of the regular ones and 3 of the upgraded. She wished that she could have brought more.

"It would make fights a lot easier." She whispered to herself as she discarded the last syringe. Looking up, her companions had gone ahead.

It was time.

A loud roar had echoed throughout the area, awakening her; shaking off whatever grogginess she had from earlier. She ran as fast as she could, trying to catch up with the two. Her legs burned, but she knew that it could take more, the prolonged stays at the gym had guaranteed this.

They dodged the debris, jumping over the platforms that stood in their way. Brynn was the smallest among them, but it didn't mean that she couldn't catch up. She was the youngest, providing her with more energy.

A red dot had appeared on the eyepiece that had been provided for them. It was new to them, Brynn found it irritating at first, but she knew that it would help a lot. Easier to track the enemy.

Another roar made itself known, and before them, stood the aragami, reddish pink in color, pale blue eyes that scanned them, Brynn swore that it landed longer on Gil. As if it had recognized him. It's red scales glittered underneath the descending sun, then something foreign had caught Brynn's eye.

A God Arc. The blonde found the time to catch the pained looks in her companion's faces. She didn't need to be told who it belonged to. It belonged to Kate.

The dragon-like aragami's eyes then landed on her. She glared back, readying her gun as she aimed.

"Now!" She ordered, the two rushing from their own positions to strike the aragami, she pulled the trigger, releasing red and purple bullets at the aragami's face. In response, it roared and began to rush towards her.

She continued to spam bullets, a grin on her face as each bullet landed with splashes of yellow and red. She had to thank Ciel after this, treat her to some food or something. As it neared her, ready to swipe at her with it's two long and bladed arms, she rolled out of the way, aiming at the arms hoping that it would somehow break.

The blonde swiftly landed on both feet, crouched to lessen the impact. Of course, she couldn't feel the pain, but it didn't stop her from getting injured. Her assailant turned towards her, roaring in anger as it began to summon blue orbs. It was obviously aimed for her. Before she could react, it had been barrelling towards her.

"Move, damn it!" Before it could hit her, a purple blur had pushed her away. Both of them skidding, leaving tracks. But safe.

"Thanks, Gil." She thanked the taller one, who merely huffed before standing up, pulling her with him.

"Don't get too reckless now." He warned her, readying his spear as he ran towards the beast who had now been occupied with Haru. Brynn switched to her blade, not going to allow herself to be out done.

She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, aiming at the unguarded parts of the aragami. She jumped, slashing the arm blades and after a couple of hits, it had cracked, allowing a glow of blue to appear and a pained howl to escape from the Rufus Caligula.

"In your face, you bitch!" She cursed the creature, if it weren't for the situation that they were currently in, Gil would have rolled his eyes, while Haru would have chuckled nervously. Another swipe was aimed at her, but fortunately, she managed to dodge it. Sliding underneath the beast's underside while slicing through with her blade. Droplets of blood stained her cheeks as she did so.

Gil managed to break the other arm blade, Brynn cheered inwardly, switching to her gun, ready to let loose another barrage of bullets.

Somehow, the fight was tipping to their side.

"Rufus Caligula's health is fluctuating. Won't be long now, keep it up!"

She didn't need to be told twice. She aimed once again, this time at the head, her eyes widened upon realizing that she only had one shot left.

She was certain that she siphoned enough OP from the Aragami. She gritted her teeth, steadying her arms that were somewhat affected by the numerous slashes she had to do earlier. It faced her, blue eyes meeting hers for what seemed to be the last time.

She pulled the trigger, the combination of red and purple travelled through the air, before exploding square in the Aragami's face. The bipedalled Aragami roared, blue dissipating from its hands, before it fell to the ground.

Brynn panted, despite how fit she thought that she was, the thing took a lot of effort to take down. But it was over.

"We… did it." Her eyes turned to where the voice came from, Gil had been in the same position as her, albeit, he appeared to be in better condition. Haru strayed a few feet away, eyes burning into the scaled aragami.

Before they could celebrated and speak more, as if fate had been playing with them, the Rufus Caligula began to get up, appearing to be stronger than earlier. Brynn couldn't contain her gasp, the moment that the broken bonds began to reform.

"What's happening?!" Came a surprised voice from the comms, they didn't have time to respond when the enraged aragami slashed Gil with its right arm. Sending him flying towards the wall, a large crash and a couple of rocks fell around him.

"Gil!" Brynn called out, eyes widening when she saw blood beginning to seep through his clothes, blood began to form at the side of his mouth as he coughed, clutching his injured area.

She didn't have time to rush to him, the Rufus Caligula then turned to her, roaring, as if saying that she was next. She readied her shield when it swiped at her too. Her God Arc had slipped from her hands upon impact, landing deadly near the edge of the carrier.

She was defenseless.

Her eye caught Gil trying to stand up, but falling to his knees as he clutched his stomach. Haru was a few feet away from her, switching to his gun as he aimed, spamming bullets at the aggravated aragami. Her eyes met the handle that was sticking out of the thing.

She didn't have time to think, as soon as it charged at her, ready to slash with both its blades, she jumped, as high as she could as she angled herself to kick the handle. The Rufus Caligula roared in pain, she knew that the God Arc dug into its insides. A look of triumph etched itself into her face, but it didn't last long, it turned to her once again, ready to crush her with its gigantic claws.

She readied herself, she was cornered and there was nowhere to run. Maybe she could slide underneath it before it reached her.

But it never came. Instead, an object of blinding speed pierced through the scaled beast. A blinding light consumed the aragami as it fell to the ground, landing in its own pool of blood.

'Was that…?' She understood what had happened, Gil awoke his Blood Art. The said male had fell to his knees once again, obviously in pain.

But they had succeeded.

She made her way towards her teammate after picking up her own God Arc, the male looked up at her, blood stained, but seemingly okay.

"You… idiot!" He screamed at her, causing her to flinch a bit.

Yup, he was definitely okay.

A sheepish grin appeared on her face as she gave him her hand to help him up, he accepted it, gripping the hand tightly as if his life depended on it.

"What were you thinking?" He asked again, towering over her, despite slouching to support himself. She rolled her eyes, knowing that he was talking about her kicking the God Arc and attempting to fight the thing defenseless.

"Uhm, surviving?" She fished a packed recovery ball from her pocket, cracked it open, then allowed the glowing ball to melt into his stomach. It had stopped the bleeding, and hopefully, closed up the wound. "Would you rather have me stand there and do nothing?" She asked him with a cocked eyebrow.

Gil sighed, both in relief and annoyance, he knew that there was no point in arguing with the headstrong girl.

"I'm glad that you're alright." He mustered to say, earning a quizzical look from the girl.

"Wow, that thing must have hit you really hard." She mockingly said in disbelief, earning a glare from the taller one.

"I can hit you harder."

"Not that it would hurt." She stuck her tongue out, before the could continue their bickering, Haru approached them. Shouldering his God Arc as his gloved hand held a pink and white one. She swore that his face appeared to be more peaceful.

"What about, you two continue your arguing when you get patched up and we get home?" He suggested, walking ahead of the two of them to where they had left their transportation. Brynn and Gil locked eyes one last time.

"That's a good idea."

Dearest Eos,

Aren't you curious? Just one bit? Why hadn't your OP been refilled right? Isn't that strange? Why don't you ask Doc Rachel for the answers? Wouldn't that silence everything in your head?

Nessa

She sighed, closing the email, debating whether or not she should delete it. Perhaps this time, maybe the damned brunette was right.


	22. Chapter 21

"Mama, papa," A small and sorrowful voice resonated throughout the dim chambers. A handsome room with walls that were creamy and had the tinges of the color of sand. The floor was dark walnut and reflected the vague light coming from a grand chandelier. Unfortunately, the brightness of its light did not parallel it's greatness.

"Do you two really have to go?" A shadowy silhouette of what appeared to be a young girl asked. She was leaning against the door frame which matched the floor. Within the confines of the room, were two individuals busy shuffling documents and preparing their luggages for what seemed to be a long trip.

The black haired man rose from his desk. He had bright blue eyes that were an uncommon pair to the onyx locks that he had. As he made his way over to the blurred contour, he adjusted the forest green coat that he was wearing. It fitted him like a glove, enough to show his lean figure. Pockets that were empty, buttons left unattached, other than the ones on his sleeves, cuffs had been rolled up and buttoned to prevent them from sliding down. His right wrist revealed a red and black armlet which gave away his identity.

"Do not fret, we won't be gone for too long." He offered a genuine smile in attempts to comfort the bothered child. Lowering himself to match the figures height, he put a hand and ruffled her hair. This induced a giggle from the silhoutte. The man sighed in relief and chuckled as well.

The woman in the room, with light blonde hair and golden brown eyes smiled at the exchange. The curve of her lips had further shown the crease below her eyes and the movement in her cheekbones on her youthful face. She approached them, footsteps were gentle and inaudible.

"We will be back before you know it." She added and crouched a bit, insinuating a hug by taking the figure into her arms. The figure wrapped her own arms around the tall woman.

"Welcome to the ghetto." Blood, led by a certain journalist, walked through the armored walls of the said area. Their footsteps echoed, as their eyes curiously scanned the sight before them. Buildings that looked like they were barely holding together surrounded them. Children ran around while adults casually conversed.

It would have looked normal, a simple life, except, their lives were on the brink of danger every second of their lives.

"Not everyone can live inside places like the den." Satsuki announced, her hips swayed as the group walked onwards. "So they do their best to eke out here." She added.

Romeo's bright blue eyes drank in everything that he saw, it wasn't everyday that they were given the opportunity to visit places like these. It was the other unit's duty whenever the outer walls of Fenrir were attacked.

"I've never been to places like these but I heard them in the news." A piece of roof fell to the ground which he winced at. "Yikes."

Although Brynn and Julius had gone out just the other day, the area that they were in seemed better off than this one.

Satsuki, instantly responded, "The world's population is growing, it's thanks to Fenrir, I mean, but..." There was slight hesitation as if she was thinking carefully about her next words. "These people are abandoned, Fenrir may help the world grow, but unless you're on their payroll, they just don't care."

Brynn was slowly piecing things together and she knew that the journalist definitely had something against the organization. The way that she treated and looked down on the God Eaters had been a clear indication that she was irked by them. She couldn't blame her, the life they were living, it was lavish in comparison to the lives of normal people.

However, they were risking their lives everyday. So she couldn't help but wonder if a little leisure would be bad. After all the hardwork that they had to do.

Julius hummed as he walked beside Romeo, eyes darting from the walls to a few boxes that had been stacked beside the walls.

"The walls are armored, I believe?" He said his first observations before adding the next one, "And those are food stocks from Fenrir as well." Their attention turned to the green boxes that had the logo of the organisation. "I hate to contradict, but it seems as though Fenrir is trying."

His words caused Satsuki to stop in her tracks. She slowly spun around to face the group that followed behind her.

"All right, Julius, I can call you that right?" She threw a question but didn't give the captain time to answer. "You and your entire Blood Special Forces," she called on their unit with such disgust, Brynn could feel her nails bury into the palm of her hands as she listened on, "live on Friar so I got a question for you."

They all listened on her as the atmosphere of the place grew tense.

"How many new houses and bases could be built for the cost of your lavish mobile fortress thing? Just hazard a guess." Although the question was for the entire squad, Brynn saw the way that the pink haired woman accusingly stared at Julius. She was usually capable of controlling her temper, however, she began to realize that she extremely disliked it when people would disrespect them.

"Listen, Satsuki." She cut her off before she could say anymore. Taking a few steps closer towards those in front as she spoke, "I get what you're trying to say, truly. But even if we wanted to, we don't control Fenrir." She wasn't usually one to meddle or speak up, but this time she couldn't allow herself to be silent. "We were assigned to Blood, Friar had already been there. So trying to corner us won't make things any better."

She had no idea if what she was saying was making any sense, but she wanted to get her point across, it wasn't their fault, and the woman had no right to make them feel like it was.

"Us God Eaters have our own way of helping, which is to risk our lives everyday. To take risk despite knowing the possible outcomes that we might be facing." She continued, allowing the words to freely flow from her mouth as the ones around her just looked at her with surprise.

"You make it seem like we don't care about people other than ourselves."

Satsuki only stayed silent as the rest of the group. The woman clad in violet sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose after a couple of seconds.

"I'm sorry, I barely know you lot and that was unfair of me." Brynn was almost taken aback by their companion's sudden change in demeanor.

Julius was next to speak, his stoic face never changing, "It's certainly alright, Ms. Satsuki. Your passion for the people had merely fueled you into saying such things. We see where you are coming from." The rest of the group only stayed silent, but it was a way of expressing that they agreed. The pinkhaired woman nodded, and finally gave a smile.

"Thank you for protecting us. Again, I apologize for the way that I acted." She turned on her heel and made her way towards the door located at the end of the path. Brynn followed but had been stopped in her tracks when she felt a hand hover over her shoulder.

"Thank you, Vice Captain."

It didn't take too long before they arrived at a white tent. Inside were multiple beds and curtained which screamed to Brynn what it was. It was mostly empty, the sullen aura circling the room. Except for the girl with auburn hair who was busy reading a book to a younger girl with brown hair.

The Vice Captain couldn't help but smile at the exchange. Although, she wasn't one who had multiple encounters with children, she didn't exactly despise them. There were a few rotten apples here and there, but most of them she knew were kind hearted.

"Ah, Satsuki! And the Blood Unit." She finally noticed them and gave a warm smile, nodding towards the group. "I didn't notice you earlier. I'm sorry."

After they exchanged pleasantries, Romeo, like earlier, had asked a question, "What is this place?" All turned to the singer and her manager after he asked his question.

"A hospital of some sorts," Satsuki began, Brynn couldn't help but notice how the woman seemed more relax the moment that they were within the singer's presence, "This is where the victims of the black plague are being treated."

The sigh that Yuno gave had drawn attention to her, "The number of those infected seem to be increasing day by day."

Brynn had her near run in with the infection, and after discovering what it did to an individual, she knew that things didn't get pretty. Looking at the chestnut haired girl, she couldn't help but pity her for contracting such a disease at a young age.

The solemn atmosphere was shattered when the child spoke up, "Ms. Yuno? What happens next?" A smile graced the singer's face again.

"Oh, wait just a second, Asuna." She turned to Satsuki, "Satsuki, I hope you don't mind showing them around a bit? I'll catch up in a second." Satsuki smiled, eyes closed before ushering the group outside.

Being the last to leave, Brynn took one last glance at Yuno. A brief second passed before she decided to make her way to follow the others.

Blood was halfway through their tour in the Satellite bases when Yuno graced them with her presence. As Satsuki was giving information regarding the different amenities. Call her ungrateful, but seeing the carefree attitude of the people, she couldn't help but wish to be a normal citizen. But a part of her thought that it was nice she could do something.

"So," Brynn began with a small smile on her face as she looked at the shorter girl beside her. Her white dress flowing freely as they walked. "You're really fond of children." She continued as the two of them lagged behind the rest.

Yuno looked at her with confusion before realizing what she meant, "Well, growing up an only child I guess it can't be helped." She smiled sweetly. "As a child, I knew what it felt to be lonely."

Brynn nodded, given the position that they had in the world, it was rare to find people who had a good number of friends. Yuno was also the daughter of an important figure in the world. She wasn't just anybody.

"Did you have any siblings, Brynn?" She asked causing Brynn to blink ever so slightly. She gave a small smile to hide her shock.

The blonde placed a hand over the back of her head to scratch it hen grinned, "I think I forgot to tell you but I actually can't remember a lot from before. I lost my memory." Yuno gasps and repeatedly apologized. Brynn dismissed it with a wave of a hand, "It's not your fault, don't worry about it. Okay?"

Before they could further converse with one another, Romeo had managed to earn Yuno's attention. Using the opportunity that Satsuki was busy discussing things with Julius. She wasn't that interested in their conversation so Brynn remained silent and allowed her thoughts to wander.

"Well, aren't you quiet?" A voice coming from her side had momentarily distracted her from her thoughts. She looked up to see that it was Gil who stood beside her.

"I'm simply thinking of ways to get Haru to treat me food without him assuming that it's a date." He rolled his eyes and she chuckled. After the mission with the Casanova, things began to get better.

To her surprise, Gil grinned before placing a hand on her head, "You know, Haru isn't that bad of a man..." She was about to protest and whine when his next words caught her off guard, "Unless you're interested in a /different/ Captain."

Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she felt the heat rush to her cheeks. The blonde couldn't believe what her friend was implying, she used her dominant hand to smack his arm which elicited a groan from the taller one. The look of pain was short lived when it was replaced with a smirk.

"A little bit defensive, aren't we?" Brynn couldn't believe that he was actually teasing her. It was her job. She gave him the nastiest glare that she could summon before crossing her arms and walking towards Ciel. She seemed like better company.

Gil couldn't help but chuckle at his vice captain's reaction. She was usually on the other side of the exchange, seeing her so flustered was a refreshing thing to see. As he was going to divert his attention to something else, a groan of annoyance earned his attention.

"Not you too, Ciel!"


	23. Chapter 22

She huffed, she finally found time to access the gym. Missions had been put on hold because of the unexpected red rain that began to pour around the branch. The God Eaters have been given the opportunity to rest and recuperate, but after chugging 4 cups of coffee earlier that day, Brynn needed a way to let the energy go.

Paperwork wasn't exactly her way of revealing energy. She was procrastinating, something that she probably would be regretting later on. However, no one had been looking for her. Yet.

Her legs tensed and her breath was rushed as she glided on the treadmill. Running was something that she never was fond of, but she knew that she needed it. Their occupation did involve running around while lugging a huge piece of equipment. And staying alive while doing that.

Her lungs burned as the cool air rushed into it. After every 3 minutes, she would try to increase the speed that she was running at in order to tire herself fasted. Her legs burned and were practically screaming for her to stop, but she was challenged today.

Sweat began to drench the black tank top that she was wearing. She could feel it begin to stick to her skin as well as the grey shorts that were beginning to feel uncomfortable. But she ignored it and allowed her thoughts to drift somewhere else.

The girl couldn't help but remember the way her two teammates teased her. The color of her flushed face doubled as the thought crossed her mind. She had no idea why she was so bothered by it, the thought of her beginning to like the captain as more than a friend was an absurd thought. Even if that happened, she was certain that he would not reciprocate the feelings.

'But what if he does?' She silently cursed at the thought, now even her own thoughts had been turning against her. The blonde was convinced that she was going insane.

"You seem bothered." Brynn nearly tripped when a foreign voice had made itself known in the room. She hit the button that was installed to stop the treadmill and instantly glanced at the mirror to see who it was. There stood a silvette Russian woman who was clad in a white crop top and shorts that stopped at her upper thighs. The blonde spun around, feet a bit confused after the abrupt stop from earlier.

"Oh, Alisa." She gave a small smile, "What brings you here?" She then realized how ridiculous that question must have been to elicit a giggle from the voluptuous woman.

"I had no idea that you were here so I can't say that I was here to see you. Perhaps it would have been for the same reason that you're here?" The woman teased. "You seem to be more bothered than I thought." She made her way towards the treadmill adjacent to the blonde and did some stretches.

"Now, what's causing you this much stress? You do know that it's not good to keep to yourself." She then paused as she diverted her attention from the mirror to the other girl, "Or perhaps, you have already informed your Captain regarding what's troubling you."

Brynn couldn't help but feel her face burn up, she turned her face away from the other and began to start the treadmill again. She was sure if the Russian was teasing her, but if it had been unintentional, then she cursed her timing.

Alisa began to start her own treadmill as well, starting at a slow pace to warm up. She didn't fail to notice the way that her companion's face flushed as a sly smirk crawled on her lips, "Or is he the cause of your troubles?"

"Nope." Brynn denied instantly, trying her best to distract herself by focusing on her breathing and the way that her lungs began to scream. There was no reason for her to act all flustered anyways.

"You know..." Alisa began again, after observing that the girl's face held no reaction. "Julius is getting pretty popular here in the Far East." Brynn couldn't help but chuckle through her ragged breath.

After what had happened when they went out to the marketplace, she wasn't surprised. The cool, silent, and mysterious leader. One who would draw in attention with his attractive face and polite demeanor.

He was charming in his own way. The thing that she found amusing was that he was completely unaware of it.

"Well, he is charming." She voiced out her own thoughts.

It was the silvette's turn to giggle at the statement, "He is. Actually, he's the first Captain that I encountered who seems to be actually serious about his job.

Brynn couldn't help but to stare curiously at her companion, careful not to trip over her own feet as they ran. She had only met Kota and Haruomi, then she started to understand what Alisa meant.

"Oh, you mean Haru and Kota?" The two, although were friendly (one far more irritating than the other), didn't appear formal and professional in terms of appearance and attitude. Alisa nodded, reaching over to the treadmill's buttons to increase the speed.

"I'd like to say that this branch is quite special." She began, as Brynn listened on. It wasn't often she got to converse with the veterans of the branch. She wasn't sure if Haru was one, she knew that he transferred recently. Most missions she went on were with Emil and Erina that often had her between them.

So it would be a nice change of pace for her.

"What made you say that?"

"Besides Kota and Haru, the First Unit's Captain was Lindow Amamiya, he was very care free and I recall strongly disliking him when I first met him." Alisa had a look of nostalgia mixed with amusement.

She didn't wait for Brynn to ask her more as she continued her story, "I caused him and Saerin a lot of trouble."

There was that Saerin name that she had been hearing multiple times,Brynn figured that it would be the perfect time to ask, "Alisa?" The silvette hummed in acknowledgement waiting for the blonde to continue.

"Do I really look like this Saerin character?" Alisa remained silent as she continued to run. Brynn waited for her answer when Alisa's treadmill slowed down with a beep.

"Honestly, Brynn," she stopped her own treadmill as well, opting to face her companion. She took note of the sad look on the other's face, "The only thing that you have physically similar to her are your eyes." Alisa sighed before continuing.

"They hold the same warmth that hers had. You also act like her, both of you are willing to go out of your way to help, and somehow lighten up the mood."

Brynn was honored that she was being compared to someone that Alisa looked up at so highly. But something ate at her, were they making her their emotional post to lean on?

"I guess that it's nice to be likened to someone like her," she began after the silence had consumed the both of them. "But please don't forget that I'm Brynn, not Saerin." She turned back to face the treadmill and began running again. Not daring to look back at Alisa.

"Right, I apologize if people have been making you feel uncomfortable." She heard the other treadmill beep again as they were consumed in silence and their own thoughts.

20 minutes in, Brynn had stopped and slouched over the treadmill's handle. She figured that she was good for the day and recalled that she still had paperwork to finish. Wiping a towel against her face, she turned to Alisa who was still running.

"I'll go ahead, Alisa." She mustered a smile on her face as the silvette looked at her through the mirror. She earned a curt nod in response. As she was walking towards the door, Brynn was stopped in her tracks.

"I'll see you soon again, Brynn."

Brynn stepped out of the shower newly bathed and clothed. She was dressed in a casual white shirt and black pants that were loose and made it easier for her to move. Running a hand through her wet hair, she made her way over towards the terminal.

Maybe she had been too harsh with telling Alisa how she felt. She never was bothered by it in the first place? Why now of all times? Maybe she didn't notice it, but the stress from everything just came crashing down. She groaned, shaking her head to negate the thoughts. She had to put a smile on her face.

The moment that the terminal booted up, she was met with the symbol of a letter flashing at the lower right corner. She hummed, wondering what it could be and who could have sent it. Using the trackpad she navigated towards it and opened it.

3£ ₽|'€₽ |'€| !

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she glanced at the random characters that were enclosed the virtualized letter. She squinted, in attempts to further understand the incoherent text.

'Was someone playing a sick joke?' She couldn't help but ask, quickly grabbing a notebook and scribbling down the characters as similarly as she could. Her actions had proven to be beneficial, because the moment that she did, the letter had disappeared from the screen.

Taking a seat on the bed, she stared down at the piece of paper. Maybe she was just over thinking it, but she couldn't brush it off. How the mail had no sender or information whatsoever.

Taking one glance at the clock, she cursed. It had been a quarter past 6 and she hadn't finished the reports.

"Shit! I was supposed to eat with Ciel today!" In haste, she got up and stuffed the paper inside the nightstand between the two beds. Slamming it shut, she bolted out the room towards the elevator.

"Ciel! I'm so sorry, I'm late." Brynn apologized as she approached the youngest member of blood. She sat alone on one of the tables, her eyes fixated on a notebook that was open beside a tray of uneaten food.

"It's okay, Vice Captain. I allowed myself the liberty to go ahead and got what you usually would have." She gestured towards the plate of chicken that was parallel to her own plate, which consisted of fish.

The blonde grinned appreciatively and took a seat. The workout she had done earlier left her tired and hungry, she was willing to eat anything that was in front of her.

"Thank you, Ciel. Remind me to transfer the funds to your account later."

Before the silver haired girl could reply, a boy with a nasal voice immediately took a seat beside Brynn. His own tray hitting against the table.

"Hey! Why do you pay Ciel back?" A pout had been fixated on Romeo's face. Everytime he and the Vice Captain would eat, he would end up paying for her meals. He was certain that the same went for Gil and for the Captain.

Brynn cocked an eyebrow at him, "You got any problems with that?" Romeo only gulps and recalled the last time he complained to the Vice Captain. If even the Captain was being bullied by her, what more could he do.

"Nope. All good." Brynn smiled sweetly before turning back to Ciel who had just closed the notebook. Brynn leaned a bit closer and grinned upon realizing what it was.

"Any new bullets, Ciel?" She asked, the notebook was where Ciel usually kept her notes regarding bullets. After the Blood Bullets that had been developed by the mechanic and Ciel, she had been working on multiple recipes and would make some for her to test.

She was looking forward to the missions when they would test the said bullets. She recalled the time that the silvette had been extremely excited, she hugged Brynn for what seemed to be 3 minutes.

Ciel nodded, the blank look on her face unwavering, "I am working on a new one for the Assault gun. It helps reduce the Oracle Points that is consumed." Brynn nodded after taking a bite from the chicken. As usual, it had been the same taste and texture wise.

"If you want to test it out, I'm good to go anytime." Brynn offered after swallowing the food in her mouth. Romeo had been quiet the whole time, focused on his food.

He flinched when Brynn had put a hand on his back, "You okay?" She asked with concern. The usually cheerful boy only nodded.

"I'm totally fine!" There was a slight pause and a drop in his tone, "I just couldn't help but think about when my Blood Power will activate."

Brynn couldn't help but feel sorry for the other, but of course, she wouldn't allow the pity to show. She certainly did not want to insult him.

"I'm sure that in due time it will come to you, Romeo." She winked an eye at him. "C'mon now, don't be so glum. I'll treat you this meal." Romeo's eyes widened and he gasped. Completely forgetting his woes from earlier.

"Brynn?! Is that you?" She glared at him, it wasn't often she tried to be nice.

"You know, I could always change my-"

"Nope! Thank you for this treat, Brynn!"

Ciel only watched as her two teammates interacted. A small smile ghosting her lips as they carried on with their meal.

Brynn was aware that the peace she was having was temporary. The paper inside her nightstand tugging at the back of her head.


	24. Chapter 23

Despite the days that have passed, the mysterious message had still managed to weave its way through Brynn's mind. Whenever she was given the opportunity, she would spend long hours staring at it in attempts to decipher what it could mean. Her frustration only grew and the symbols seemed to grow more jumbled with every moment that passed.

She groaned for what appeared to be the 8th time that morning, the crumbled piece of paper had been strewn beside a forgotten mug of coffee. Missions had returned to normal, seeing that the red rain has stopped a few days after it began. She rubbed her temples and closed her eyes.

No one else had known about the message, not even the Captain. She knew that they would probably dismiss her, even she didn't know why she was so fixated with it. Perhaps, it was just a problem in the system that she was overthinking about.

The room was emptier than usual. The Captain had been sent out on another assignment in another branch, if she recalled correctly, it had been somewhere in Europe. She was certain that it had something to do with the development of the God Arc soldiers that Rachel had been working on.

"I wonder how Auricle is doing." She couldn't help it when her thoughts drifted to the God Arc that she had first been using. Despite her reluctance and hesitation, she knew that it would be for the better anyways. Maybe when she runs into the doctor again, she would have the chance to ask.

A knock on the door had shaken her from her thoughts as she attempted to stuff the paper into one of her notebooks. It opened slowly, to reveal Ciel. A sigh escaped Brynn's lips as she stood up.

"Is it time already?" The younger one nodded in regards to the question.

"The report has been set up, Vice Captain. The others are waiting in the meeting room." With that being said, Brynn gave a glance towards the notebook before walking towards the exit.

'That could wait.'

Ever since their arrival at the Far East, Ciel had insisted on having weekly reports in regards to Blood's performance. Of course, both the Captain and Vice Captain had agreed to this, seeing that it would help pinpoint the improvement and the fluctuating differences of each member's performance in the team.

"Moving on, our last operations have been successful..." Ciel's calm voice had echoed throughout the small meeting area. Where four of them stood in front of a monitor that had been provided for them.

Brynn's eyes stayed glued to the monitor, it's orange boxes included the names of the different members and the missions that they had participated in. The other box contained the percentage of the efficiency that each mission had depending on the members and comparisons.

"Moreover, we have not lost any training or operation time due to injury." In the back, Brynn could hear Nana and Romeo whispering to one another, but did not bother to scold them as she was focused on Ciel and the screen which had switched slide. Now showing the schedule that Blood had during the past few days.

The next slide had shown the different God Arcs and how much repair it would be needing, as well as the efficiency level. Brynn took note of the OP intake of each one that had been similar to the graph that Friar's doctor had previously shown her.

"All of the God Arcs remain at peak operating efficiency and our kill counts had grown dramatically." The slide now showed different names of Aragami and the number that had been exterminated by Blood. Brynn couldn't help but praise Ciel at how detailed her report had been.

"Ms. Licca has also approached me and suggested that we make better use of our advance genes. Reconnaissance and distant ranging machines are the team's bread and butter so to speak."

Before Brynn could listen to the rest that Ciel had been explaining, a soft groaning and whimpering from behind her had caught her attention.

"Nana?!" She spun upon hearing Romeo's panicked voice. "Come on, stay with me! Nana!" Before she could react, Nana had passed out. Fortunately, Romeo had managed to catch her before she landed on the floor.

"Nana?!" Brynn rushed to her side and was about to help Romeo with supporting the unconscious girl. The moment that her hand made contact with Nana, a bright light had consumed her.

 _She knew that she was no longer in the meeting room, instead, a small and quaint house that was smaller than her own room._

 _"So..." A voice had earned her attention, in the middle of the house, was a table where a black haired woman clad in violet sat. In front of that woman, was a black-haired child with bright pink eyes. She soon identified her as a younger Nana. "How does it taste, Nana?"_

 _Brynn found herself walking near towards the duo, she was certain that they couldn't see her anyways. She then noticed the half eaten sandwich that the younger Nana had been holding. A smile managed to make its way to her face as she continued to watch the way the two interacted._

 _"Really good!" The young girl exclaimed, "It's the most delicious thing, Mommy!"_ _She giggled before taking a huge bite from the sandwich._

 _Another flash of light had blinded her, when it faded away, the scene in front of her had changed. The woman, who she guessed was Nana's mother, stood by the door waving at Nana who still sat by the table._

 _"Mommy's gonna go out to slay the bad monsters. Do you remember your promises, Nana?"_

 _The black-haired child nodded with a wide grin on her face, "Uhu! I won't cry, I won't get mad, and if I get lonely, I'll eat an oden sandwich!" The woman chuckled at the girl's liveliness._

 _"You're such a good girl, Nana." She praised, "Now then, I'll be back in no time flat. That's my promise." The woman walked out the door and closed it, another light consumed them, then a flash of what happened next appeared._

 _Nana's mother was on the floor, with wounds all over her body and beside her was Nana, a scream echoed in her head._

Brynn stared at her hand, eyebrows furrowed as she remembered everything that went through her head earlier. They had managed to successfully move Nana to her room. A medic went in to check on her and had informed her she just needed rest.

The blonde sighed, Nana had not roused from her sleep yet. Despite the reassurance the nurse gave them earlier, she couldn't help but feel worried.

'What if the letter had been something related to this?' It wasn't the first time that the idea crossed her mind. She wasn't going to dismiss it either.

"Vice Captain?" Ciel's voice came from behind her, she had not noticed the door opening and the entrance that the silvette made. From the chair that she pulled towards the bed, she glanced behind her.

Wearing her usual lolita themed attire, her boots were quiet against the wooden floor as she crossed the distance between them. Brynn had not failed to notice the can of coffee that the other had been holding. The moment that it was handed over to her, she gave a soft thanks.

Ciel grabbed her own seat and made herself comfortable beside the blonde. In her own hand was a can of coffee, something that Brynn had looked questioningly.

"Since when did you drink coffee?" Brynn couldn't help but ask, a small smirk finding its way to her lips. Ciel's lips curved into the smallest of smiles.

"I'm certain that you know how influential you are, Brynn." The blonde nearly flinched in surprise at her own name being mentioned. Instead, she grinned.

"What are you talking about?" She queried, pulling the tab of the can to open it before taking a swing of the coffee. The bitter liquid travelling down her throat. After swallowing, she turned back to her companion. "I don't think it would be smart of me to increase the people I have to fight for rations with."

Before Ciel could respond, they were startled by the movement that the unconscious girl had made. Their attention had become fixated on her, slowly enough, pink eyes began to flutter open.

Nana tried to sit up, Ciel had been the first to react, placing her can on the nightstand and helped support the struggling girl. Brynn stood up, chugging her own coffee before placing it on the nightstand.

"How are you feeling?" Brynn asked, allowing herself to come closer. Nana, who had been a bit disoriented, blinked a few times.

"Brynn? Ciel?" The two nodded as their names were mentioned. Nana sighed, rubbing her eyes as if trying to get rid of the way her head pounded. "I collapsed, didn't I?"

"You gave us quite the scare." Brynn honestly said, before continuing. "But we're glad that you're awake." She was relieved, she wasn't only worried about her as the de facto leader, but also as a friend.

"I had an awful dream." Nana admitted and began to tell them of the dream that she had. Brynn, already knew most of it, it had been the same visions that she saw previously.

After she had told them, Ciel put her hand on Nana's back. "It's okay. Perhaps you should lie down a bit longer?" She suggested. Brynn nodded in agreement, they certainly didn't want the other to become even more distressed.

"What about I make you an oden sandwich?" Brynn added with a gentle smile. Usually, it had been Nana who would give her the sandwiches. She would give them snacks and other kinds of food, but she never tried making the girl's favorite.

Instead of lying down, the other had perked up, eyes shimmering under the incandescent lights. "Really? You would?" Brynn nodded, the smile still fixed on her face.

"If it would make you feel better." Brynn winked. Nana nodded excitedly, Brynn held back her sigh to show how relieved she was. The promise that Nana and her mother had was fresh in her mind. She patted Ciel's back.

"Give me a few minutes. Ciel? Would you two be okay here?" The younger one nodded, turning back to Nana in attempts to calm her down.

Brynn made her way back to her room, she was certain that she had enough ingredients to prepare the sandwich. The blonde hoped that it would make the boost hammer wielder feel better.

The blonde had been relieved when Nana instantly cheered up after devouring the sandwich. The two had escorted her to the clinic for a checkup before going separate ways. Instantly, she had been catapulted into the battlefield after a certain Director had located her.

Of course, she had been _happy_ to oblige.

"Damned Director. Can't he find someone else to do his dirty work." She would have felt bad for bad mouthing the man, but he seemed to favor her when it came to completing missions. The rewards were in excess, however, it didn't mean that she didn't feel drained.

"You're starting to sound a little bit like Aion, Eos." A voice filled with mischief and a menacing giggle that followed after it came. Brynn only gripped the handle of the God Arc that she was holding on to. Silently praying to the gods - if they still existed - that the voice was merely her imagination.

"Now, now, Eos. Don't act like you don't want to see me." It certainly wasn't her head messing with her. "That hurt me quite a bit." The blonde finally found the courage to spin around and face the brown haired woman. A wicked grin replaced the pout that she had been previously sporting.

"What do you want, Nessa?" She managed to ask through gritted teeth. This encounter was all too familiar. Nessa only pouted again before putting a hand over her heart. The armlet on her wrist har hindered the notion, only letting the tips of her fingers graze her chest.

"No need to act so violent! I just came to see if you managed to crack the code. It took quite some time for me to make, you know? It would be a shame if you just tossed it away."

Brynn stared at the other with a bewildered expression. It took her a couple of seconds before she realized what she meant.

"So you sent that mail?" Nessa's grin returned.

"And we have a winner! Kidding! Maybe I did, maybe I didn't? Who knows~?" Brynn knew that she was falling for the other's games once again. But this time, she felt like she had no other choice but to allow herself to be pulled in.

"Nessa." She glared, lowering her voice as she spoke. "What does it mean?" There was silence between the two, the brunette had put a hand under her chin as if she had been deep in thought.

"Hmmm..." She hummed, Brynn only felt her blood boil. Oh, and if looks could kill. "I think it meant... Whoops! I may have forgotten. That's _your_ problem now, Eos."

The winds around them billowed. Brynn could only feel her fingernails dig into the skin of her palm as she stared the giggling brunette down.

"Well, now that's done, we best be going! The sun's starting to set and your ride is right... over... there." Brynn spun around and Nessa's statement had been proven to be correct. The chopper was just a few seconds from landing. The Fenrir Insignia glinting under the sunset's last few rays. Brynn turned back to see that Nessa had disappeared.

 _"You better work faster, Eos."_ The winds whispered in her ear as she felt a shiver run down her spine. Now she had no idea whether she was going insane or if Nessa really was a real person.


	25. Chapter 24

"Oh! And this is the part where-"

Brynn groaned before pushing the orange-haired boy with her shoulder to shut him up. This caused the other to wince and consequently, shut his mouth.

"Kota, I know you're excited, but let me watch without you spoiling anything!" She glared at the First Unit Captain before turning her head back to the screen. The duo had found themselves huddled up on the couch in the lounge. It wasn't a busy day today, a couple of God Eaters from other units came by, but other than that, they had the whole place to themselves.

"I'm sorry." He scratched the back of his neck as a sheepish grin replaced the look of pain that previously had been on his face. Brynn simply hummed and propped her elbow over the armrest, and decided that it would be more comfortable to have her legs over his laps.

"Better." Brynn sighed and grabbed a pillow to hug with one arm.

"Hey!" The red head stammered when the girl's toned legs laid themselves over his. "I'm not your-"

"Shhh!"

Brynn's eyes remained glued to the T.V as her companion only groaned in annoyance before turning back to the screen. His elbow, propped on the armrest as he rested his cheek on it.

A couple of minutes passed, the movie that two had been watching was a horror movie that the red head suggested they watch. Of course, both had been preoccupied with their missions and schedules. Kota had also noticed the way that girl would space out, although he did not know about the piece of paper that conquered her thoughts. And the encounter that she had with a certain brunette.

Although, Brynn was reluctant at first, the mention of food and coffee - courtesy of Kota - had instantly changed her mind.

"We certainly are getting comfortable here."

Brynn nearly jumped out of her seat when a voice from behind her had startled her. She scrambled to spin around and saw the Blood Unit's captain staring down at her.

"Ju- Captain!" She corrected herself and stood up. "You're back!" She added with a grin on her face. The blonde male's expression had loosened up and a small smirk shone through the tough exterior.

The Captain had been gone for a week, with no information regarding when his return would be.

"You don't seem pleased with my arrival, Brynn." He stated with a cocked eyebrow. One of his hands had been firmly planted on his lower waist. Brynn dubbed this as the 'Visconti Pose'. The blonde's eyes widened and shook her head no.

"Of course I'm pleased!" The girl had no idea whether her statement was making any sense. "I didn't have anyone to treat me lunch the past few days." She grinned, Julius lightly chuckled which Kota had stared at with disbelief.

"I was beginning to think that you were losing your touch, Vice Captain." He teased, using his free hand to ruffle her hair. In annoyance she swatted his hand away.

"Not the hair, Captain." The grey eyed man apologized, a small smile gracing his face.

Kota, who had been watching the entire exchange, had found it strange how casual the two were acting. The entire time that Blood had been here, he did not see his fellow Captain smile even once. Yet here he was, chuckling even. He did not fail to notice the looks that the other female God Eaters had been shooting the silent man.

He couldn't blame them, if he were a girl he probably would -

"I finished the reports and the files that you requested, Captain." Julius nodded with a knowing look.

"Just as I had expected." Brynn began to take note of the bags that formed under the man's eyes. His stance wasn't as uptight as before, she figured that he must have been tired.

"If you have anything else that you need me to do, just let me know, okay?" There was a slight pause before she continued, "You look tired." Julius' eyes bore into hers after she suggested.

"I'll gladly take your offer." He then gave a nod to Kota, "Now then, I wouldn't wish to further interrupt the both of you. I'll-"

"Why don't you watch with us?" Kota suddenly interjected, scrambling out of his seat to approach the taller man. He offered a cheeky grin.

Grey eyes widened in surprise, he shot his Vice Captain a look as if asking for approval.

"We wouldn't mind you here with us, Julius." Brynn reassured. "That is, if you aren't busy or anything?"

There was silence between the three as Julius remained deep in thought. Brynn knew that he was hesitating and silently hoped that he would join them. It wasn't often that they had the chance to watch movies together or even bond with members of other units.

"I suppose that it would be a great way to relax as well." He gave in, Kota and Brynn exchanged smiles although their celebration had been cut short.

"The Blood Special Forces is requested to proceed to the Director's office." The speakers in the lounge filled the room with Hibari's voice. Brynn's shoulder slumped in annoyance as she muttered a quiet curse. "Once again, Blood is requested to proceed to the Director's office immediately." She reiterated.

Julius knew that the Vice Captain had been disheartened at the sudden request for their appearance. Gingerly, he put a hand on her shoulder - opting not to ruffle her hair - and gently squeezed it.

"This won't be the last time that we will get to do this, Brynn. Do not stress yourself too much."

The duo apologized to Kota before proceeding to the office. Along the way, they had met with Romeo and Gil who were bickering.

"I told you that we should have hit the forearms first!" Came the blonde's voice as Brynn sighed. She stood beside the Captain as the two argued endlessly behind them.

"Attacking the hind legs helped in disabling the-" Before the Scot could continue his rebuttal, he had been cut off by the younger one.

"Nope! That was my bullets that took down the-"

"You couldn't even fire properly!" Gil cut him off, the two were glaring at each other this point.

"You just kept getting into my line of-"

"Oi!" Brynn stopped in her tracks to face the two. Her head had been pounding because of the bickering the two had been doing. She wasn't going to have any more of it. "What's up with you two?"

"He started it!" Romeo accusingly pointed at the taller man. Who in turn had began to pull on his ear.

"Oi, what are you-"

"Hey! Let me-"

"Oi!" Brynn shouted for the second time, louder this time, managing to draw in curious stares from the other God Eaters. Brynn knew this and sighed in annoyance. "The last time you too fought, the mission that preceded it didn't end too well." Brynn huffed. "I absolutely do not want a repeat of that!"

 _The den had erupted in a cacophony of noise the moment that a group of three God Eaters walked in. Over Gil's back, was Brynn who wasn't exactly in best shape._

 _"What happened?" Kanon rushed to them while ushering then to head to the clinic. She was the only available medic that time._

 _Brynn groaned as she struggled to hold on to the man clad in violet. The clothes that we wore had been stained with blood._

 _"Well..." Romeo began with a guilty look on his face as he scratched the back of his neck. "Me and Gil kinda got into a small fight."_

 _"A... small fight?" Brynn managed to breathe out as they entered the white rooms of the clinic. They positioned her on the bed as the pink haired girl began to work on her wounds. "The two of you could barely hear me over your damned argument!" She strained._

"Stop acting like children. Gil, you're the eldest here." She pointed a finger at the towering man before turning back to Romeo. "And you, stop aggravating him!"

Although the two wanted to protest, they simply rolled their eyes and distanced themselves from one another. Julius had given her a nod of approval before they proceeded to the Director's office.

"Ah, come in, come in." The four let themselves in the moment that they saw the other two members standing in front of the desk.

They had been quickly briefed about the mission, when midway, a call on the phone had momentarily distracted them all.

"Director, Doctor Rachel is requesting for Nana Kozuki's presence." Came the orange-haired operator's voice. Brynn shot Ciel a look of worry before diverting her attention to Nana.

Sakaki nodded towards Nana's direction, "You may go, Nana. I had been informed regarding your condition. Let us know if you can still participate in the mission." The girl bit her lip before nodding and excusing herself.

A couple of minutes after, Blood had been dismissed. Their mission would commence in three hours. Enough time for Brynn to prepare.

And for her to calm herself down. The thought of Nessa's words taunting her once again.

"Hey, Vice Capt." The platinum haired girl looked away from her notebook - She decided to write the cluster of incomprehensible figures there - and eyes met with bright blue ones.

"Yeah?" She acknowledged. The two, along with the rest of the Blood Unit besides Nana, had decided to make use of Blood's meeting room. They were waiting for updates regarding Nana.

"Do you think Nana is okay?" Despite how much the male scolded the gluttonous girl, Brynn was aware that he had deeply cared for her. She gave a smile, one that contradicted with her own feelings and thoughts.

"I'm sure that she'll be fine. Let's just focus on the mission." Romeo nodded before turning back to the screen. It displayed the Aragami that they would be up against as well as a few reminders that Ciel had prepared.

A sigh escaped Brynn's lips as her eyes bore into the pages of the paper. The ink had smudged, an effect of the sleepiness she had while she was writing. In the other pages were a couple of attempts at deciphering the symbols.

"This might as well be hieroglyphics." She muttered towards herself before closing the notebook and slamming it on the table. All eyes turned towards her.

"What's troubling you, Vice Captain?" Her eyes widened upon realizing how loud she had been. Julius had stood beside her, grabbing a chair of his own and settling in it.

"Ah, just..." She struggled to come up with an excuse as her eyes darted from the notebook to the Captain. "Just struggling with coming up with a new recipe. I saw a couple on the Norn that had ingredients that couldn't be found anymore so I was just thinking up for some alternatives." She babbled.

Julius stared at her with a look of doubt but had been quick to dismiss it, he diverted his attention to the book that he had brought with him. "I'm afraid that I cannot extend any help in regards to your dilemma. I highly doubt that they would be useful." Brynn chuckled nervously before displaying a small grin.

"It's fine, Captain. Thank you anyways." She flipped her notebook towards a page that did contain recipes and scribbled notes. Sighing inaudibly as she stared at the words in front of her.

"You know, I'd expect a Garm to be located in the subway. Not in the temple." Romeo piped in, shattering the silence that had formed inside the lounge. Brynn studied the screen.

Blood Mission Notice!

Location: Tranquil Temple

Aragami: Garm (1), Gboro-Gboro (1), Ogretails (?), Zygotes (?)

Description: The research unit has been ambushed during a mission while extracting data from around the area. The aragami that had attacked them were undetected by our radars. Blood is to provide an escape route for them while taking down the indicated aragami.

"That's what the Director found puzzling." Ciel admitted, her focus now on blue-eyed boy. "They speculated that the decrease in food sources in the subway has forced the aragami to migrate."

"Food sources?" Romeo squeaked, eyes widening before he continued. "L-Like... humans?" He stuttered, backing into Brynn who clicked her tongue in annoyance.

With a wicked grin on her face, she leaned into the boy's back and whispered into his ear. "Just... like... you!" Her sudden outburst had caused him to yelp and fall off the chair. Brynn couldn't stop herself from laughing, the rest of the Blood unit had been stopping their own laughs from spilling out. Except for the grins that Gil sported.

"That hurt, Brynn!" Romeo winced as he struggled to get back up on the chair. The Vice Captain repeatedly apologized with a smile plastered on her face, she helped pull him up.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it." She patted the boy's back, who had flinch in return. "What Ciel had meant earlier was the weaker Aragami in the area." She turned to the silvette for confirmation who had nodded.

Before the discussion and playful banter could carry on, the sound of the door sliding open had earned their attention. There stood Nana who gave a timid wave.

"Hey, Nana! You're back!" Romeo was the first to greet her. Bouncing off his seat and making his way over to her, where Ciel had shortly followed.

"Will you be participating in this mission?" The silvette inquired to which Nana affirmed. Brynn watched from her seat as they continued their conversation.

"Yup! Doc Rachel gave me the go signal." She signed a thumbs up to further express the approval and excitement in her face. Romeo cheered while Ciel ushered the girl to one of the seats. Brynn turned to the Captain who had been focused on his book the entire time.

"Will you be doing the briefing or will I be doing it this time?" The past few days during the Captain's absence, she had been doing the briefing herself. She truthfully found it unnecessary at first but after miscommunications that would happen, she realized its importance.

Julius closed his book before answering the blonde, "I would like you to do it this time, Vice Captain. You did offer your help just this morning." He teased, Brynn only rolled her eyes in response before getting off her seat. She walked over to the front of the room, notebook still in hand, as all eyes turned to her.

"We will begin the briefing for Blood Special Mission: "Behind the Mask". As the monitor has listed, our main targets will be the Garm and the Gboro-Gboro." Brynn began, her tone had been serious and unchanging. She only used it during occasions where she needed people to take her seriously. "However, the presence of weaker Aragami have also been detected. We are to exterminate them as well." Her fingers drummed softly against the wooden desk as she carried on.

"Blood will be divided into two teams, prepare your weapons and bullets accordingly. The Garm is weak to Freeze while the Gboro-Gboro will be greatly damaged with the use of Blaze and Spark." The blonde paused to recall the members of each division. "Unit Alpha have Julius, Gil and Nana. You'll be taking on the Gboro-Gboro. Unit Beta will consist of Ciel, Romeo and I." Each member took note of their name and their group before waiting for the Vice Captain to carry on with her explanation.

"The Garm is found to be resting in Area P, while the Gboro is in Area F, although they might change their location, the possibility of it is unlikely. Unit Beta will be the first to engaged. With the help of Ciel's Blood Power, status can be determined through the maps so make use of it. Garm's hearing is more sensitive. This is to prevent chances of them drawing their attention to other units. That's all. Understood?"

The God Eaters affirmed to which Brynn smiled at, she turned towards the Captain who face hosted approval. "Shall we begin?" Julius stood and so did the rest of the members.

"Let's commence the mission, Blood." With that being said, they all filed out of the room, murmurs and various statements echoing as they walked the halls. Only Brynn and Julius remained in the room, soon following their unit.

"I never thought you could be serious, Vice Captain." Brynn shot him an offended look, it was a joke, of course.

"Ouch, my ego." She pretended to wince as she put a hand over her heart. Turning her eyes away from the Captain who looked at her with amusement.

"I didn't intend to offend you, Brynn. I'm not implying that your cheerful demeanor is... a bad thing. I suppose I'm not used to it." Brynn could only smile at him and dismissively waved her hand in the air.

"We can't have a Vice Captain who jokes around 24/7, right, Julius? I know how and when to act." She winked, wrapping her arm around his as they walked on. The elevator had left them so they were given no other choice but to wait. Julius was no longer bothered towards the gesture. He knew that the Vice Captain had the tendency to be clingy towards her other comrades. He was no different.

"You do have a point," he hummed as the elevator door opened, "I'm pleased that you're adapting to your position. Couldn't have done it better myself." Brynn only smiled while the two walked into the elevator. Using her free arm to press the lobby floor.

"Flattery will get you everywhere, except when it's with me, Captain." She teased with her tongue stuck out. She knew that she hit a button when the other's face burned up.

The man began to explain, stuttering as he did, "I-I was simply-"

"I was kidding, Julius. You should see your face." The rest of the elevator ride was filled with a giggling Brynn and an embarrassed Julius who had been hiding his face. The two walked out, still arm in arm, earning the attention of those around them.

"Getting chummy, are we?" Romeo teased to which Brynn rolled her eyes at. She decided to ignore the teasing boy, she would get back at him sooner or later.

Brynn uncoiled her arm from his and they walked towards the God Arc storage area. They couldn't waste anymore time.

The entire unit managed to fit themselves inside the helicopter, upon nearing the area, Brynn nodded towards Julius, who was in charge of Unit Alpha, they were the first to jump. A few meters away from their target. The blonde clicked on the eyepiece to see whether the Aragami had took note of their presence. She sighed in relief upon seeing that they have gone unnoticed.

"Unit Alpha has successfully landed. We are awaiting Unit Beta's engagement with the Garm." Julius' voice came through the earpiece.

"Get ready to jump, God Eaters." Came the pilot's voice. Brynn nodded at the rest of the members. Ciel nodded back, being the first to jump down with her God Arc in its gun form. The blonde followed, the feeling of falling was definitely something she would never get used to. Her midsection felt like it was trying to escape through her lungs as the sudden increase of acceleration made her close her eyes as she waited to land on the ground.

Her eyes fluttered open the moment that she felt her feet on the ground, her legs instinctively bended to prevent her from damaging them. The breath that she kept had been released. She heard the thuds of the rest of her members.

"Unit Beta has successfully landed. We are ready to approach the Aragami. Good luck, Unit Alpha." Ciel informed the rest through the earpiece, pressing on it to activate it. They didn't wait for a reply and rushed into the ruins. Brynn holding tightly unto the Ice Katana that she equipped.

The wolf-like Aragami had been devouring the deceased Ogretails that were scattered in the temple. Brynn could smell decay wafting through the air, she nearly gagged, the smell of dead Aragami definitely didn't smell any better than the corpses of humans.

But the sight of dead Aragami was definitely something she prefered.

She raised a hand and slowly used it to usher them to come close. Romeo to back her up and Ciel to begin sniping. They walked slowly, their footsteps had been covered by the sound of snow heavily falling outside. Brynn positioned herself with a smirk getting ready to devour. At the press of a button, the black creature appeared and with a shriek, it bit down on the hind leg.

The Garm roared, bucking up in pain as flames began to ignite around the area. Brynn felt the power surge throughout her body and quickly switched to her gun, passing the bullets to her comrades.

"Use them well!" She faced the Aragami, rolling over to dodge the paw that it swiped at her. The enraged Aragami used it's other paw to slam it down on her, narrowly missing her.

"Yikes that was close." She pulled the trigger and watched the brilliant blue bullets rain down on the Aragami. Brynn had emptied her OP gauge and began to sprint as she changed into her blade.

The Garm locked down on her, trashing about as it aimed fire at her. She dodged them, but a few stray ones had singe her clothes.

She gritted her teeth as she charged, narrowly missing the paw that was about to strike her. Raising her blade up, she skidded underneath the wolf's stomach and cut through. Blood pouring down as it growled angrily, she felt the blood stain her clothes and drop on to her skin. A grin almost appeared on her face but had been quickly replaced with clenched teeth.

The aragami stood on its hind legs, blocking her attempts to pass under it, it reached down with a paw and swiped at her, successfully knocking her against the wall.

"Fuck." Brynn didn't feel the pain but she knew that it had damaged her. "This is gonna take a while to heal." She muttered as she struggled to stand.

"Brynn!" She heard Ciel's voice and felt something envelop her. Green began to feel her vision and knew that she had been healed with a recovery bullet.

"Thanks, Ciel." She was quick to get up the moment that she saw the Garm ready to fire at Romeo. Determination and fear was the only thing that kept her from collapsing on the ground. The recovery bullet had managed to provide enough energy, but she still felt weakened.

"Out of the way!" She stood in front of her teammate and brought up her shield. The fireball had managed to knock her a few feet back.

"Sorry, Brynn." Romeo then switched to his gun and fired an Aragami bullet at her. She nodded appreciatively as she felt the power surge through her once again. Checking her OP gauge, she saw that it had been filled once again.

She slowly lifted her blade to Zero Stance and waited for the Garm to run towards her. "Romeo, back me up. Aim for the front legs, use your Charge Crush!"

"Gotcha!" He began to position himself and Brynn saw the violet energy begin to consume the Buster Blade.

"Ciel!" She called her attention, "Focus on the hind legs!"

"Affirmative."

3.

It was a few seconds before the Garm could reach her. She saw how it began to lift its paw in attempts to swipe at her.

2.

She gripped the handle of the guard arc tightly, hoping that the Blood Art wouldn't fail her.

1.

The pushed the button and a series of electric blue lights came from the barrel part of the gun. She fired, not bothering to stop until she would run out of Oracle points. Romeo had released the Charge Crush and she heard a roar escape from the beast.

The lights and dust died down to reveal the wolf-like aragami sprawled on the floor. The oracle cells had become unbound to reveal bright orange that shone through the cracks. Brynn stared right into its lifeless eyes as she sighed in relief.

"Glad that's over." Romeo remarked as he leaned on his God Arc. "Thanks for covering for me back there, Brynn." Brynn gave a smile as she approached the fallen aragami.

"That was quite the fight we had." Brynn muttered, pulling on the God Arc's handle to reveal the mass of black cells. It bit down on the aragami, chewing greedily until it reached the core. "How are the others doing, Ciel?" She managed to stuff the eyepiece into her pocket before the fight began. The blonde managed to lose many already. It wasn't doing good to her budget.

"They're still engaged with the Gboro. It's icon is rapidly blinking, indication that it will soon be defeated." The silvette remained focused. "They have successfully terminated the main target." Brynn sighed in relief. Her God Arc had finished extracting the core.

She pressed on the earpiece, "Unit Beta is ready to rendezvous with Unit Alpha." She waited for a response, the waved for the other members to begin walking.

"Roger that, Unit Alpha is making their way towards the point of rendezvous. Don't let your guard down." Came Gil's voice before there was silence once again.

"Blood Unit to branch, mission has been completed with zero casualties. Secondary targets have been taken down by the main targets before we arrived. We are ready to go back to base. Updates regarding the research unit?" She carried her God Arc with her right hand while the other pressed against the earpiece.

"Message received. Good job, Blood. The 1st unit has successfully recovered the ambushed unit. A pick up is on the way. Remain on your toes and will update you the moment that your pick up arrives." Hibari's voice was clear through the lines. Satisfied, Brynn let go of the earpiece and the walk towards the meeting point had been silent.


	26. Chapter 25

"Good job, Blood." Julius praised them the moment that the two units had reunited. It had been evident that the mission had greatly drained each one of them.

"You look horrible." Brynn pouted and jokingly jabbed the taller one in the stomach. Her coat had been coated with blood and torn in some parts. The top that she wore consisted of red instead of the pure white it previously was.

"I fought with an aragami, it's not exactly something similar to walking in the park, right?" She rolled her eyes at him which he only scoffed at.

"Well the way that you dress looks like-"

"Nana? Are you okay?" The childish banter had been abruptly stopped the moment that Romeo's nasal voice pierced the air. They all turned their focus towards the girl. With one hand, she had been clutching the side of her head as her face contorted to an expression that showed pain. Brynn rushed to her side in haste.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" She examined the girl but saw no wounds that marred her skin.

The black-haired girl failed to respond and simply shut her eyes. Shaking her head as if to get rid of whatever pain that had been eating at her.

"I'm... okay..." Brynn could hear the struggle in her voice as she spoke through gritted teeth.

"Brynn! Behind you!" Brynn spun to see a Zygote had snuck behind her and grabbed Nana before they could become consumed in the purple cloud of poison. Brynn felt a strange pulse run through her the moment that she touched the onyx-haired girl.

"Oh no..." Nana was being surrounded by a powerful red aura that only meant one thing, the awakening of one's Blood Power.

"Where did that come from?" Romeo asked as he put up his shield to block the needles coming from an Ogretail that had emerged from nowhere.

Blood began to fight through the horde of Aragami, as they would take one down, a new one would come to replace them. They were small aragami, but the greatness of their number made them tremble.

"Damnit!" Brynn heard Julius curse as he take two down at the same time. The Ogretail soon dissolving into the air into small black particles. "There are too many of them engaged."

"Multiple Aragami are rerouting to your location!" Brynn struggled to press on the earpiece to better hear the operator's panicked voice. "I'm moving the 1st Unit to support. Just hold on a little longer." A Zygote came charging towards her, in haste, she switched to her gun form and shot it with an aragami bullet that she got from the Garm.

"Julius!" She called out to the leader who was a few feet away from her. "I think Nana's Blood Power is-" Before she could continue what she was saying, an Ogretail pounced on her causing her to stumble and back against the wall. She aimed again, pulled the trigger, and fired. Julius had seen what happened.

"Begin a staggered retreat. The battle is lost. Disperse if you must, just get back to the Far East!" He barked the orders, momentarily disregarding the Vice Captain's words.

As Romeo fired bullets at the Aragami adjacent to them, he noticed the way that Nana was struggling. Her movements have become sluggish but despite that she kept fighting.

"Maybe you should fall back, Nana! Didn't Dr. Rachel tell you take things easy?" He missed the Ogretail that was ready to fire its bullets at the two of them. Julius quickly skidded over there and deployed his shield. Slashing it with Volitional, causing it to fall to the ground.

"I'll clear a path! Nana, you're up first." He gently regarded her. "Make a run for it on your own. Don't worry, we'll catch up." He reassured her upon noticing the conflicting look on her face.

"Julius, I'll back you up!" Brynn shouted as she began firing multiple bullets at multiple Aragami. She definitely wasn't going to let any of them get hurt. The red aura that had previously consumed Nana still bothered her. She couldn't help but wonder what her Blood Power was.

"R-Run?" Nana stammered, frozen on her spot as fear dominated her senses. The grip that she had on her God Arc's handle beginning to loosen. "I-I can't go alone..." She whispered, barely loud enough for the rest of Blood to hear. Fortunately their enhanced senses allowed them to pick her words up.

"C'mon, Nana! It will be okay, don't worry about us." Brynn rushed to the girl's side and stabbed the Zygote that was getting ready to attack. The blonde gasp the moment that she felt something sharp pierce through her, looking down, she saw the needles of an Ogretail embedded into her stomach. "Fuck, that's must hurt."

The black-haired girl's eyes widened in fright, her entire body was beginning to tremble as her knees weakened. Her knees and legs found themselves buried into the snow, the bitter cold nipping away at her bare skin.

But she felt none of it. "I didn't mean to! It's my fault that the Aragami found us..." They all looked at her with concern as they tried to fight away the remaining Aragami.

"M-mommy..." Her God Arc had completely been casted aside, "Mommy!" She began to loudly sob into her hands as the red aura from earlier grew stronger and consumed her even more.

"Nana?!" Gil and Romeo both shouted.

Soon enough, more Aragami began to appear out of nowhere and ceaselessly attacked them.

It didn't take Brynn two seconds to figure out what Nana's Blood Power was. It was to attract Aragami. The more that they stayed there, the more that they would be in trouble.

"What is that?" Hibari gasped loudly while Brynn shot Aragami bullets to the other members. "A Bias Field disruption!" She had been knocked to the side when an Ogretail from her side had caught her off guard. Instantly, she felt herself inhaling the violet gas that she knew came from a Zygote. She coughed, the foreign material entering her lungs and she felt her life being sapped away.

"A disruption?!" Julius repeated, a hand against the the earpiece in order to hear her better.

It took a few more seconds for Hibari to reply, "An intense Bias Field pulse has been fired at Blood Alpha! More Aragami incoming. Brynn! Watch your health!"

Brynn felt like a toy being tossed from one child to another. Except they were Aragami, and they weren't exactly treating her gently. She knew that a few bones were broken and the toxic was still inside her body.

However, being the stubborn girl that she was, she wasn't going to let that stop her. She stood up, and went into Zero Stance. A series of bullets erupting from its opening that she fired at the Aragami closest to her. Clearing a path of her own, she rushed over to Nana's side, Ciel was covering for her.

"1st Unit to Blood Special Forces! Come in Blood." Brynn heard Kota's voice through the communication device and couldn't help but feel relieved. "We've cleared a path! Are you guys still alive in there?!"

'Barely hanging by a thread, but still alive.' She swallowed a recovery pill and felt some of her strength returning. "Ciel, cover for us!" She was responded with a curt nod and a surge of bullets aimed at the Aragami that were targeting her.

"Of course we're alive!" Romeo answered for her, taking the words right out her mouth, except for the part where they were struggling. "It's just Nana-" A Zygote had tackled him to the ground before it was shot by Julius.

"I just sent over the escape route. Do you think that you can make it?" Hibari piped in once again, Brynn felt relief flooding her.

"Yes, it is possible." The Captain answered after singlehandedly slashing through an Ogretail. As if the long blade that he was lugging around had not hindered him one bit. "Brynn! Take Nana and fall back immediately."

Brynn knew that she shouldn't be questioning his orders but she couldn't help but feel bothered by the idea of leaving them, "But Cap-"

"Go now!" Julius asserted to which Brynn finally complied. It wasn't the time to disobey him and she needed to get Nana back to the den.

"C'mon, Nana. Don't let go of your God Arc, okay?" Ever so slightly, the black haired girl nodded, loosely holding on to the pink God Arc that had previously been discarded on the floor. With a huff, Brynn managed to haul the girl over her back while struggling to hold her own God Arc. She silently thanked herself for putting on the eyepiece earlier, which showed the map that she was to follow.

'I just have to make it to Area A.' She motivated herself, knowing that the Aragami would be following after them. Brynn knew that she was capable of out running them, but with extra weight on her back she wasn't too sure about it.

"Brynn," She was momentarily distracted by Gil's gruff and deep voice, he had been quietly taking down the Aragami using his Charge Spear, Brynn could see the way that he panted softly, "don't do anything reckless, you hear me?" Brynn could only grin before sending a wink.

"No promises." With a deep breath, she ran, nimbly dodging the Aragami that was in the way.

Brynn could hear Julius barking orders behind her, "Make sure that none of them manage to catch up to them. Let none of them out of your sight!"

"Five minutes... Five minutes is all that I need." Brynn felt her lungs begin to burn with the coldness of the air. It hurt, more than when the air was humid. She attempted to control her breath, to conserve it and save more energy. Her legs began to feel numb, the girl knew that she would have crumbled to the ground earlier if not for her fear and will.

Her blood ran cold when multiple red dots had appeared on the eyepiece. A couple Aragami had sprouted from a different area, she forced herself to run faster.

"Shit! Shit! Fuck!" She repeatedly curse, she hoped that the would make it in time before Aragami from their direction would appear. Nana's soft breathing had reminded her that they needed to keep going.

The blonde silently wished that she wouldn't trip or mess things up. The soft snow dusted them as she felt her heartbeat thump against the inside of her chest, ready to burst out any moment.

"Fucking shit."

Her worst fears had been confirmed the moment three Ogretails stomped out of the last turn that she had to make. Casually, she looked around, looking for an escape route. But each angle she looked at, an aragami had been there, ready to devour them.

"Nana, stand down, okay?" She coaxed the girl to slowly loosen her grip and stay behind her. Brynn grabbed her God Arc and readied her stance. There was no other choice but to fight.

So she would.

"If only I had Auricle with me." She murmured, running quickly to the nearest Aragami to Nana. She sliced it, then moved on to the next. A grin findings its way into her face. Instantly, she did a flip and readied her predator form, devouring the Zygote from above. It's egglike form crashing to the ground and black blood stained the ground.

She turned back to Nana, to check on how the fragile girl had been doing. Fortunately, all the Aragami had their attention towards her. She recalled Hibari's words that they had been aimed at her.

"Does Nana lowkey hate me?" She joked before starting a series of Impulse Edges the moment that a group of Ogretails had surrounded her. One of the Ogretails had knocked the eyepiece from her face.

"That's gonna cost me!" She pulled out predator again and as if imitating her rage, it devoured the entire bi-pedalled beast. "You'll pay with your life!"

The battle had seem ceaseless, but Brynn was down to the last two Ogretails. The blonde panted, leaning against her katana for support, but was quick to ready herself and cut through the both of them at the same time.

"That was some fight..." The snow had no longer been pristine white by the end of it. Patches of blood had impurified it, hers and the Aragamis. By the corner, was Nana who continued to sob into her hands.

"Thank god you're okay." The blonde sighed in relief as she limped towards her comrade. A silent prayer with wishes that the Aragami would no longer approach them.

Standing in front of her, pink eyes looked into her ochre ones. They were red and puffy from the tears that she shed.

"Brynn?" She croaked. "I-I'm sorry..." She began, clutching on to the leg which Brynn had slightly winced at. "I'm sorry that I'm so weak! If only I... If only I!" Brynn bent down and engulfed the other in a tight hug. Shushing her as she sobbed.

"Don't say that, Nana. You aren't weak. Okay? You're far from that." She comforted her, stroking her head, consequently messing it up in the process. "Now, let's go home?" Nana peered up at her and slowly nodded, somewhat decreasing her sobs.

Brynn had been first to stand and offered a hand towards her companion who gratefully took it. The Vice Captain chuckled and ruffled the girl's onyx black hair. This ellicited a chuckle.

"Brynn!" Nana's eyes had widened in surprise and she pointed towards the other's back. Instinctively, Brynn spun around, a Cocoon Maiden that stood about two feet above her was directly behind her.

"No!"

Nana's scream. The snow quickly falling from the sky. Blood staining the snow. Her blood. Slowly, she looked down, and saw that the Cocoon had impaled her stomach.

Instantly, the Aragami had been smashed, causing its body to fly away with the force that the hammer user had exerted. Along with it was the tentacle that impaled Brynn.

"Brynn!" Her vision was getting fuzzy and she felt her breath become ragged. She barely shivered when the cold snow met her bareskin and soaked her clothes that had also been stained with her blood.

"No! Stay awake! Here, I have a restore pill. Swallow it." She felt something being inserted into her mouth. Weakly, she swallowed, feeling the object travel down her throat. But it had little to no effect.

She could only feel garbled voices that she knew belonged to Nana. Struggling to stay awake was impossible. Instead, she gave in. The darkness quickly consumed her.

'Of all things I could have been killed by. I'm sorry I failed you.' She wondered if that would be her last fleeting thought.

 _'You will not die here. You shall not die now.'_


	27. Chapter 26

_"This is your new home! I'm sure that your uncle Hansel will be thrilled to have you here." Came a woman's voice that reverberated in the darkness. It was one of those dreams where she could only hear and feel, but not see._

 _There was silence for some time, she didn't know how long she waited but there was one thing that she could feel, fear. The fear of not waking up, the fear of nothing else to come._

 _Was she dead?_

 _No. She wasn't._

 _"Ah, so you're Alice's kid? Last time I saw you, you barely had your eyes opened." She heard footsteps that loudly clicked against the metal floor. After 6 steps that were torturously slow, it came to a stop. "You look exactly like Luke. Hope that you aren't as stubborn as him too." The deep voice chuckled deeply._

 _She tried to recall the appearance of the two individuals. The dream that she had a couple of days ago had become hazy, the one thing she could remember was that Luke had black hair._

 _"Thank god I got to you before she did."_

 _'She? Who was she?'_

 _"Do you remember what your parents told you incase something like this happened?" There was silence once again. A silence so thick that the tension it brought could make a person uncomfortable._

 _But so delicate that a single word can shatter it._

 _"Yes."_

"Brynn!" Almond brown eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness the moment that they flickered open. She could feel the heaviness of her eyelids and the crust that form by the side of her eyes. A hoarse groan escaped her throat allowing her to feel the dryness of her mouth.

"I'm thirsty..." She admitted, the first thing that came to her mind upon waking up. "I need coffee." She added, finally facing the black-haired girl who kneeled beside her.

Nana's rose quartz like eyes widened and Brynn could see the fear that it previously held. Replacing it with a gleeful expression as soft giggles escaped her.

"Oh, Brynn..." The blonde struggled to get up, her body wasn't cooperating however, not in the way that she wanted it to. She peered down to see that her stomach had a thick bandage wrapped around it.

Bloodstained of course.

"Maybe you shouldn't get up yet." Brynn scanned the place they were in. It was a wooden room, cracks and holes that allowed the cold to pass through. It was somewhere adjacent to the Tranquil Temple. She was familiar with this place.

She gasped, managing to push herself up as she shuffled through her coat's pocket, they were empty. Reaching for the pouch that she had strapped by her upper thigh, it didn't contain what she had been looking for.

"What are you looking for?" Nana innocently inquired as the crawled towards the frantic Vice Captain.

Brynn paused and stared at the black-haired girl. She was responded with an inquisitive look that held worry and concern.

"How long was I out, Nana?" She croaked, her hand finding its way to the bandage to examine the blood. It had been dry and cold. She assumed that she out for quite some time.

Nana's eyebrows furrowed in thought as Brynn waited with bated breath, "About 3 hours... I think?"

"Shit, no wonder it's so dark." She sighed and buried her face into her hand before running her fingers through her hair. "Are you okay? Have you tried contacting the branch?" The sooner that they would get out of here the better, they didn't want another incident.

Nana twiddled her thumbs together which caused Brynn to feel anxious, "Well, you see... Both our comms got wrecked when we got here. I think your eyepiece got lost in the snow earlier as well."

Brynn would have cursed loudly but she knew it would do them no good. They left for the mission at around 15:00, arrived an hour later and finished the mission within 30 minutes. It would be around 19:00 hours or past.

Even God Eaters weren't sent out on night missions. She had no idea if the branch would have sent a search party for them at this time.

For now, they had to stay alive.

The blonde looked at her companion and saw that the intimidating red aura that once surrounded her had no longer been there. 'That's one good thing, at least.' She thought to herself, not wanting to jinx herself.

"When I was out, have we been attacked by any Aragami or..." Her statement trailed off when Nana shook her head. A smile on her face as she answered.

"So far, so good."

A loud rumble had caused Brynn to sit up straight, completely forgetting about the injury in her stomach as she looked around cautiously.

"Umm..." The dead air coming from Nana had caused her to look at the other questioningly, "That was my stomach, sorry."

It was either she was extremely anxious and paranoid, or the hunger and her injuries were getting to her. But Brynn had been on high alert, they couldn't let their guard down. Not like a time like this.

"We should probably wait til morning," Brynn said. "It would be more dangerous to head out at night. We would be at a disadvantage." Nana nodded in agreement.

The two basked in the silence of the empty temples. Only the ragged breathing and the blowing of the wind could be heard through the hollow tavern. Brynn managed to find a comfortable position by leaning against the wall, propping her arm on one of the rocks that wound up inside. Nana sat against the same wall as well, only a few feet away from the Vice Captain. Her knees pulled up against her chest as she hugged them.

"Brynn?" The silence shattered like glass. Brynn tilted her head to the side in acknowledgement. She was too tired to speak.

"Hmm?" She hummed instead. It took a few seconds for the other to carry on with what she was saying.

"I'm sorry," Nana said. Rocking her body back and forth. Brynn diverted her full attention to her. "If only I had been stronger. You wouldn't have needed to carry me and... and-"

Despite the discomfort she was feeling, Brynn managed to scoot herself nearer to her companion who had buried her into her legs. The blonde draped an arm over her as she felt the other begin to sob again.

"Nana, you aren't weak." She gently stroked the short black locks.

"You're just saying that," Nana managed to say through her sobs.

"I'm not just saying it. Do you think you would have made it this far if you weren't strong? Do you think that you would have become a God Eater if you aren't strong? I'm sure that your mommy is proud of you," Brynn paused as her lips curved into a smile, seeing that the sobs have died down a bit. "When have I ever lied?"

Nana looked up and searched the Vice Captain's eyes. As if trying to determine whether she was sincere. A small smile of her own began to form as well.

"When you tell Gil and Romeo that you'll pay them but you never-"

"Okay, okay, that's going too far."

The two girls laughed and Brynn felt the place somewhat lighten up a bit. If they could keep talking like this, maybe she could keep the girl distracted and maybe time would pass faster.

"Ah, by the way," Brynn began after a couple moments, "When was the last time that you had your Bias Factor refilled?" Nana's eyes widened in surprise upon remembering.

"I think I was supposed to have mine refilled when we get home!" She panicked, to which Brynn clicked her tongue at.

The last thing they needed was Nana passing out in case they had to fight or while they were travelling. Her hand reached for the pouch that she strapped against her left leg. Inside it, she pulled out a syringe with a needle that was about as wide as a pencil.

"Luckily I brought some." Brynn winked as she reached for the girl's right arm, where her armlet had been located.

The blonde was a hoarder, and she was proud of it. She felt like it would have been better to lug around heavy stuff rather to regret not bringing enough and end up in some kind of crisis.

 _"Brynn, why do you bring so much?"_ _Gil asked as he saw the girl stuff multiple pills, balls, bullets, and traps into the various pockets and pouches that she had._

 _"What are you saying?" She opened the pouch by her right thigh and placed her recovery pills as well as other health related items there. "I'm just bringing the maximum of each item."_

 _Gil only stared with disbelief as the girl finished restocking, he wondered how the pockets didn't bulge with all the things that she carried with her. Instead, he followed her out the room towards the departure area._

'Damn, if only Gil were here.'

"Wait!" She was halfway through putting the needle into the armlet's socket part when Nana calling her had drawn her attention. "Don't you need it for yourself?" Brynn shook her head and gave a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry about me." She inserted the needle and began to push the other end. The fluid quickly entered the armlet and she made sure to empty it until the last drop.

"Better?" She asked Nana who had a wide smile on her face as she rapidly nodded.

"A hundred and two times better!" No wonder why she was feeling so drained, "Thank you, Brynn!" The black-haired girl would have hugged the older one but remembered the wounds that she had.

Brynn felt relieved, almost. Their happiness had been cut short when Nana groaned loudly and clutched her head.

"Nana!" Brynn leaned towards the girl, before she did, a bright red aura emitted from the boost hammer user.

"Brynn, I can't... control it!" It grew bigger until it consumed the both of them. Brynn felt the same weird energy surge through her once again. She rubbed the girl's back through her clothes waiting for the red aura to die down.

It took about 3 minutes before the aura had died down. Brynn's heart had been pounding rapidly, she knew that something was wrong.

She glanced around the room to look for her God Arc, it had been stood against the wall on the other side. The blonde looked over at her companion who had managed to tire herself out and was deeply breathing. Eyes shut close as she leaned against the wall. With the strength she had left, she stood up. Legs were wobbly and greatly felt like jelly as she trudged over to the shining katana.

The blonde silently wished for her legs to not give up on her just let. Little by little, her wish had been granted and she felt her strength slowly return. Her leather boots buried into the snow piled up in the room with each step that she took. It wasn't long before she reached her blade.

She grabbed it, feeling the cold metal against her already cold skin. She flexed her fingers around it in attempts to get used to the coolness. Lifting it up and shouldering it as she made her way back towards Nana across the room.

Brynn took note of the other's God Arc which had been beside her the entire time. They should be ready enough. Or at least she hoped so.

The loud stomps had roused the black haired girl from her trance and the blonde from her reverie. Gripping the handle of the blade tighter, she ran towards the edge of the only gap that the room contained.

Her auburn eyes widened at what she saw a few meters away from where she stood. She spun around, inching closer to the wall as to flatten herself against it.

Fate had been playing a sick joke, just earlier, she had been impaled by a Cocoon Maiden, and lurking just outside was an Aragami that had a needle nearly the same length as its body.

She put a finger against her lip to signal her companion. Silently, she mouthed the name of the aragami. Knowinf that her companion understood it, she turned back and slightly peered.

Fortunately, it didn't see them yet. It's huge tail was swinging around the air as it searched. She knew exactly what it had been looking for.

The tips of its legs easily buried against the snow and she didn't want to know how easily it would pierce through flesh. Nana had quietly walked towards the other edge of the entrance, silently. Something Brynn had been thankful for.

"What do we do?" Nana mouthed, no words came out of her mouth but puffs of fog. Brynn managed to understand what the other said.

"We wait. But get ready for anything." She mouthed back, turning her attention back to the four-legged Aragami.

It brandished its pearly white shield that had the image of a skull. When she first encountered one, she remembered assuming that the shield had been its face. One could imagine how horrified she was the moment that it pulled away in two.

She breathed slowly, trying her best to mute it. Fortunately, the heavy snowfall had covered up for them. Brynn was lucky that she and Nana managed to stop the Bias Field earlier, any later the Borg Camlann would have known about their whereabouts.

Each second felt like centuries as they watched the scorpion like Aragami slowly approach their hiding place. Brynn glanced over at Nana, she could see how she slightly trembled from how far she was.

They couldn't fight in this condition. She searched her head for possible solutions to their dilemma.

There weren't a lot. Only three came into mind. The first would be that they stay where they are and try their best to avoid the aragami. If they could somehow sneak out and run, that would be better. The second plan that spurred was to run now if they could time the Aragami not looking.

The blonde thought of tossing something in a direction opposite from theirs to divert the attention. But the snow was falling heavier by the minute, she wasn't sure if she could be precise or if the Aragami would be able to hear it. An object landing on snow didn't make much noise.

The last thing that she thought of was the one that she believed would be best. Shuffling through her pouch, she pulled out a restore pill, and fortunately a spray that would prevent the aragami from detecting the individual that had been sprayed.

Peering through the gap, she saw that the Borg Camlann had turned in the opposite direction, eating from a pile of trash. She quickly dashed to where Nana was and grabbed her to the side.

"Brynn?" She whispered, noticing the objects that the girl held in her hand. "What are you-"

"Nana, we don't have enough time," Brynn said as lowly as she could. "I have a plan. But you have to cooperate for it to succeed. You'll do as I say, right?" She was pleased upon seeing that the girl had no hesitation, she held back her sigh saving it for later.

"I have an Aragami repelant," She held up the small bottle of blue liquid. "The moment that I spray it on you, you run. Okay? Try your best to make it back to the branch, or at least keep yourself safe." Nana's eyes widened and Brynn knew exactly what the girl was thinking. The plan wasn't the best. But she had to take the risk.

"Brynn, are you crazy?" She whispered/screamed as she grasped the other's coat roughly, "I can't just leave you here." Her lower lip trembled. "And what makes you so sure that I'll make it back to the branch?"

Brynn simply smiled and used a freehand to grasp the other's hands. "I just know, okay? You have to trust me. This place, don't you recognize it?" Brynn pointed to the area that had been blanketed with snow. "I don't know how you brought us here, but this place is a 20 minute run to the walls. 4 miles into the vicinity of the branch, that's all that you need to make. There are cameras that will detect you and they'll immediately send someone out."

Brynn was glad that she spent time discussing things with Licca whenever she would have free time. Unknowingly to the other God Eaters, she was sent here by the Director to pick samples of the environment. Strangely enough, there weren't a lot of Aragami that flocked around. She hoped it would be the same case during the night.

Nana paused for awhile before finally nodding. Brynn grinned and snapped the cap off the bottle.

"Go left from here, and just keep running straight. Don't look back and don't let your guard down. Here are some recovery pills." Brynn stuffed the pills into her hand.

"Ready?" The younger one nodded once again. Brynn breathed deeply and swallowed a pill of her own. She had been saving those II level pills for worst case scenarios like this. The moment that she felt her health slowly seeping back into her, she sprayed the blue liquid all over her companion.

"Run." The both of them ran, albeit in different directions. Just as Brynn had predicted, the Borg Camlann had only been a few meters away from what could have been their death hole.

She winced when it screeched loudly upon seeing her and began to charge towards her. The blonde readied her blade, a grin on her face.

So they fought. Swordsman versus knight. Metal clanking against what seemed to be metal in a fury of strikes and swings.

Brynn tried her best to conserve energy, putting up her shield every once in awhile instead of dodging. She knew that Nana would come back with reinforcements.

But for now, she needed to stay alive.

The fear of being impaled, the fear of getting hurt, the fear of dying had kept her on her feet. Agile as a cat, but as deadly as a tiger. She tried her best to keep her moves effective, but with the long sword she was using, she was put at a disadvantage.

"This is probably the most stupid thing that I have done in my entire life." She jumped, doing a somersault as she tried her best to slice through the thick armor. It screeched once again the moment that she landed on the base of its tail, using the opportunity to stab the katana into the soft spot on its back.

She almost cheered the moment black blood spilled on the snow, but her celebration had been abruptly cut short. The Borg Camlann bucked causing her to land against a wall. The wooden planks shattering as she felt a few splinter her.

The Borg Camlann slowly spun around, she was too dizzy to process anything around her. But the shadowy figure kept getting nearer, and nearer. Until it fully consumed her vision.

'I guess I'd rather die because of a Borg Camlann rather than die because of a Cocoon Maiden." She smiled bitterly at the thought.

She braced herself, knowing the large stinger would soon impale her and kill her. What was the point if she struggled, it would end the same way.

'Please be safe, Nana.' She silently prayed that the other had manage to get to base safely. What was she thinking by sending her off like that.

"Die!" An unfamiliar voice had filled her ears and the sound of something crashing and breaking followed soon after. She struggled to open her eyes, the Aragami was no longer in front of her. The sound of metal clashing against metal could be heard again.

"Brynn, hang in there!" Came another voice, she knew that it was a certain Russian silvette. Brynn couldn't help but smile at the thought that Nana made it back. She assumed that was what had happened.

A couple of minutes later, a figure soon approached her. Despite the blurriness of her vision, she knew that the person was wearing a white coat, dark pants and a dark top. The individual's hair also appeared to be white, she wasn't sure if it was the snow that had been doing that, but she was sure that the person's skintone contrasted with his hair.

"That S.O.B got her really good." Brynn figured that the person had been a male. She noticed the other figure approach her as well.

"A-Alisa..." She managed to say, the two figures had lowered themselves to meet her face.

"Don't speak, Brynn. Just get some rest." She felt something being forced into her mouth and she knew that it was a recovery pill. She hoped that it would be the II version because the normal ones didn't affect her when she was this damaged. She felt something heavy and warm being draped over her.

"She was shivering." The deep and gruff voice said once again, she allowed herself to close her eyes. Soon after, she felt a pair of arms lift her off the ground. "When we get back to the car, make sure that the way she lies down won't strain her. She has already lost enough blood."

"You don't have to tell me that," Came Alisa's voice, surely she had been iffed. "Let's hurry." There was only silence the rest of the way back.

That moment she felt safe, and she felt that she could finally allow herself to drift into the arms of sleep.


	28. Chapter 27

"That should keep your wounds for reopening. I will be discharging you from the infirmary. I have already informed the Director, your team Captain, and Hibari that you will not be allowed to go out on missions for the next 3 days." Brynn wanted to groan upon hearing that. The nurse had also banned her from any strenuous exercises.

'Better than solitary confinement.' She thought, holding back a smirk as she remembered what had happened before. She whispered her words of gratitude and proceeded to make her way out of the white room that she dreaded so much.

It had been around 24 hours since she arrived at the branch, and only an hour since she woke up. The nurse had informed her that Alisa and her colleague had saved her. She made a mental note to thank them.

The moment that she woke up, the first thing that she asked the nurse had been about Nana.

The blonde glanced to the left end of the hallway, the one that led to the doctor's and now director's office. She had been informed that Nana had been confined to one of the sealed rooms.

She bit her lower lip in deep thought, would it be a good idea to visit the younger one or to first proceed to her room. The idea of a warm bath seemed appealing to her, although she knew that the blood had been wiped off during her sleep, she still felt it on her body.

'Wouldn't want her to be horrified at my appearance and stench.' She humoured herself before walking towards the elevator doors.

"What time is it?" She asked aloud. The halls had no windows so it was nearly impossible to tell the time. She patiently waited for the metallic doors to slide open.

Entering the elevator and pressing on her desired floor, she couldn't help but shiver at the thought of how much Julius and Gil would scold her. Looking back at all that happened, she realized that her actions had been foolished.

But who could blaim her? Given the situation she was in, panic clouded her judgement.

She knew that she would still be in trouble. Hoping that Nana had spared some of the details.

The platinum-haired girl arrived at the Blood Special Forces floor and made her way towards her room. Using her armlet to unlock it, it made a small click before it was slightly ajar. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of the home that she managed to find in the Den.

It was certainly homier than her room back in Friar.

Getting a fresh set of clothes from the terminal, Brynn took note of the emptiness in the room. It was 8 in the morning, the others were probably having breakfast and getting ready for missions. She doubt that she would be seeing them for the rest of the morning.

The blonde stripped out of her blood stained garments and sighed at seeing how near to impossible it would be to repair them. The sky blue coat had lost multiple parts, gaining scratched and holes instead. The usual shine that it held was gone as well, replaced with a dull blue. She tossed that into her clothes bin, she would make sure to throw them out later. Followed by the white top that had been dyed red.

Fortunately, her pouches and their straps remained in tact. She gently took them off and placed them on the counter, they were empty anyways.

Her ankle boots were the next to go. They were the sturdiest pair that she had so she wasn't surprised when they remained the same.

She opened the shower, waiting for the water to grow hotter. The blonde allowed her hair to get soaked underneath the torrents of droplets of water. A sigh escaping her as the warmth seeped through her. She grabbed her bottle of shampoo, remembering that the color of the bottle had been a lighter shade of purple. The Captain had a similar color. It wasn't an unusual occurrence when they'd end up using each other's.

It meritted them so amusing situations.

 _Blood just finished a mission that dealt with a Psion and a few small aragami. They were on standby while waiting for their pick up._

 _Romeo stood next to the Captain, he had been conversing with him and the taller one would answer his questions. The younger blonde was thrilled that the other had begun to socialize. During the times that Blood only consisted of the two of them, things weren't exactly exciting._

 _Midway through their conversation, Romeo's faced had changed into one of confusion as he repeatedly sniffed the air. The Captain looked at him with curiousity before asking what had been bothering the other._

 _"Julius? Why do you smell like Brynn?" He asked, the smell of coconut had surely been coming from the man donned in violet. Before the other could answer, Romeo's eyes widened in surprise as he accusingly pointed a finger at the taller man._

 _"You slept with Brynn?!" The Captain's face grew red as he tried to dismiss the other's assumptions. "I knew that there was something going on between the two of you!" He added, a grin on his face._

 _Brynn, who had been drinking coffee from a flask, spat out the already luke warm liquid. She wasn't a few feet away from them and heard everything loud and clear. Gil looked at her with a cocked eyebrow, she knew that the questioning stare had been meant for Romeo's statement._

 _Grabbing a hanky from her pocket, she wiped the coffee that was beginning to dribble down her chin. As she did that, she shook her head. Gil only turned to Romeo, who had been continuously talking, and Julius, who grew flustered by the minute._

 _Brynn made her way over to the unsuspecting male and whacked his back with the end of her flask. This earned a strangled and surprised scream from the other._

 _"Quit making things up. Julius merely confused my bottle of shampoo for his." She sighed and gave the other a comforting smile, which quickly changed into a cheeky smirk._

 _"But then again, that wouldn't be such a bad thought." The Captain grew even red, completely silenced as he turned away. Brynn laughed at his dismay._

A smile cracked on her face upon remembering that event. Julius refused to speak to her for a few hours but it had been worth the laugh. He soon got over it anyways.

Brynn's thought then drifted to the letter that had gone unsolved. She practically memorized the entire thing already. That wasn't a shock after how many hours she stared at the printed symbols. Due to the heat, the glass divider of the bathroom had fogged up. She sued the opportunity to write the symbols down.

Still, there was nothing important that she could make out of it. She washed her hair and her body with water, her fingers began to wrinkle at how long she stayed in the bathroom. Just before she was going to take a step out of the bathroom, she noticed that what she had written on the glass had still been there. But droplets of water trailed down from it connecting some of the symbols. Her eyes widened upon seeing what it had formed.

Be Prepared.

So it had been a warning, a vague one, but still a warning. She wanted to bang her head against the wall at how she didn't think of such a simple thing to do. She tried to find conversions for the symbols, and other complicated attempts.

Getting dressed, she opted to go for the black Long Blade top and black Boost Hammer shorts to go with them. Her had been customized with gold that greatly showed through the black of the cloth.

"You take forever to bathe. I wonder how your roommate deals with it." The moment that she stepped into the room, she had been met with her favorite brunette.

"I wake up before him." Brynn casually said as she picked up the basket that contained her old clothes. Nessa crinkled her nose the moment that Brynn passed her. She had been sitting on the edge of one of the beds.

"Maybe if you had been smart enough to figure out the code you would have been able to save your clothes." The brunette joked to which Brynn had scoffed at. She wasn't going to let her get under her skin this time.

"Why are you even here?" Still, she asked. Dropping the basket and walking over to her. A wide grin appeared on Nessa's face as Brynn stuffed her hands inside her pockets.

"I just wanted to congratulate you for finally cracking the code, yeah?" Nessa paused for a while before giggling, "A bit too late but at least you cracked it."

Brynn cocked an eyebrow, "It wasn't of much used anyways."

"But it will be for the next coming days." Nessa stood up and walked over to Brynn. Clasping her hand over her shoulder as her eyes bore into the other's. "And by the way, I'm going to make a deal with you soon." The devilish smile on her face had not calmed the blonde, she rolled her hands into a fist as Nessa's hand tightened around her shoulder.

"You won't be able to resist it. But I'll only offer it to you if you..." Nessa paused deep in thought, "How do I put it lightly? Hmm..." Brynn felt the fabric of her pockets as she waited.

"If you don't manage to save the next chess piece!" The brunette clasped her hands together as she cheered. "So you better hope that you succeed in your next conquest, eh?" Brynn stared in shock and confusion as the brunette walked past her towards the door.

"Until then, Eos. Good luck!" Brynn heard the metallic door sliding open. "You'll be needing it."

She tried her best to not be bothered by the brunette's words. The last time she was, things didn't end up too well. Instead, she made her way to the laboratory area with a packed odenpan in hand.

The door to the main lab had been unlocked when she walked in, upon entering, she was met with multiple computer screens that were turned against her, the walls were metallic and the floor had the same greenish carpet.

"Oh, you're here." Brynn perked up to see the Russian silvette who she was planning to look for after visiting her comrade. "How are you doing?" She asked as she picked up a cardboard box and stacked it on one of the tables. With a cutter, she ripped open tape that sealed it.

"I'm okay, doing better," Brynn said as she took a few steps closer to the other girl. Inside the box had been folders and papers that were in an organized fashion. "I was actually planning to look for you after I visit Nana to thank you."

Alisa looked up from what she was doing and gave the other a small smile, "You don't have to thank us for that. You saved me once before and you've been helping out a lot with the Director's and Soma's research." Brynn tilted her head to the side at the unfamiliar name.

"Was he the one who was with you when you saved me?" She asked, struggling to remember the person's appearance. The Russian nodded, completely dismissing the box from earlier as she placed a hand on her hip.

"Yes, that was him," Alisa said, "I would have introduced you to him but he had to go back to Cradle just a few hours ago." Brynn couldn't help but feel disappointed. "I'll let him know though. I'm tidying up the room because he's moving back."

Brynn smiled, "I'd love to meet him then." Alisa look towards Brynn's hand which carried the sandwich that she made for Nana.

"Nana's room is on the right. I'll be right here if you need anything." Brynn expressed her gratitude. She made her way into the room where her comrade had been confined.

The insides of the room had been startling white, besides the childlike drawings that had been scribbled on the walls in different colors. Brynn couldn't help but wonder if they kept a child in here. At the left corner, was a metallic bed, similar to the ones that they had back in the brig.

Nana immediately perked up when she saw the Vice Captain walk in, "Hey, Brynn! You're okay!" She jumped from the bed and tackled the other girl. Brynn felt a strain on her stomach area but dismissed it and used her hand to return the hug.

"I made this for you, Nana." Brynn showed the packed odenpan the moment that the other girl had released her from the tight embrace. Pink eyes lit up in excitement as she accepted the item.

"Boy, I was just thinking about how much I was craving for this! Thank you, Brynn." Instantly, the girl unwrapped the food and stared at it as if it were the most important thing in the world. She began to devour the sandwich as Brynn watched with a smile.

"Thank you for back then, Nana," Brynn began as the girl was halfway through her sandwich. "I'm sorry too. I forced you to-" Before she could carry on with what she had been saying, Nana momentarily stopped eating and cut her off.

"Don't say sorry, Brynn! You made things a whole lot better." The blonde raised an eyebrow inquisitively.

"But I made you risk your life. I wasn't thinking clearly." She softly continued.

Nana gave her a comforting glance before looking back at the sandwich at her own hands, "I think that, because of what happened, I can control my power now." Brynn looked at her, waiting dor her to continue. "Doc Rachel came by just before you woke up, and she told me that my Blood Power had been stabilized."

Brynn's ochre colored eyes widened and a smile soon replaced the frown that had formed on her lips. "Is that so?"

"Yeah! Isn't it great?" Nana cheered before taking a huge bite out of the sandwich, with her mouth full, she continued, "I think it's all thanks to you, Brynn."

"Back when we were first supposed to retreat, when you guys told me to pull back, I couldn't. I was so afraid." She began, her eyes had been downcast on the floor.

Brynn wondered where the sandwich had gone.

"And it got us into trouble. You got hurt and we got stranded. But you never blamed me for it, even if it really was my fault." Nana looked up and stared directly at the Vice Captain's eyes who had been paying full attention, "That's why, that's why when you asked me to run. I knew I had to do it. I didn't want anyone else to get hurt, and I know that, it would have what mommy would have wanted me to do."

Brynn grinned and ruffled the smaller one's hair after she had finished her declaration. "I'm glad that you finally realized that," She paused as her hand found itself on Nana's shoulder. She squeezed it comfortingly. "Don't ever forget that Blood's always got your back."

Nana smiled and nodded. Mirroring the happy expression that Brynn had.

"I won't."

Brynn was tired but she spent the next few minutes in the place that Nana had been confined. The younger one had informed her that she was just waiting for the results of the tests that were being conducted at Friar and the Director's go signal. It didn't take long until she was released and they parted ways.

The rumble if Brynn's stomach had reminded her that it had been quite some time since she last ate, but before that, made her way over to her room.

Strangely, the sliding metallic door was slightly open. She remembered that she had closed it before she left but walked inside. Nothing unusual had seemed to happen in the room, but she was aware of another presence.

"Vice Captain, how are you feeling?" Brynn felt her breath get hitched in her throat as her brown eyes met with the Captain's grey ones. His face held no trace of emotion, but he seemed relax. He was seated on the chair adjacent to his desk, a leg crossed over the other as his arms were on the armrests.

The blonde girl stayed glued to her spot, "I'm feeling okay." Those were the only words that she managed to summon. A whirlwind of thoughts had been spurring in her mind. She braced herself for the scolding that she would be getting, so instead of looking at her superior, she glanced at the floor.

She heard the chair screech against the floor as Julius stood up. Brynn couldn't help but think back to what had happened in the garden when she did something reckless. Biting her lower lip, she refused to look up at her companion the moment that he stood in front of her.

"Brynn." She nearly winced at his touch, his gloveless finger had tilted her head to face him. Ochre clashing with grey once again, Brynn searched his eyes for any trace of anger. But instead, they held anguish and sorrow.

"Yes?" She barely whispered a reply, the howlite like eyes had been agonizingly enthralling. She was quite aware that she would never tire of them, they were unique. Her brown ones were dull and uninteresting.

"You don't appear to be 'okay'." The tall man wistfully admitted, not bothering to tear his gaze away from the other. "What's bothering you?" He asked.

Brynn knew that the Captain out of concern wouldn't let her behavior pass. Thinking for a moment, she thought it would be best to just speak her mind.

"I..." She paused, still hesitating with her decision. "I was just anticipating that you would scold me, Captain." She searched his eyes for any change but they remained unmoving. Unconsciously, she bit her lower lip.

"I suppose that you can't be blamed." She was taken aback when Julius chuckled and ran a hand through her hair. The same hand that he had used to make her 'forcefully' face him. "I apologize for that, Brynn. You must be thinking of what had happened back then in the garden?"

Brynn hesitantly nodded. That occurrence had stirred the need in her to stop her teammates worrying about her.

"So..." Brynn voiced out before Julius could say anything else, "You're not going to scold me?" She managed to ask, better to be upfront about it rather than avoiding it.

"Do not fear, I have no intentions of scolding you." Normally, Brynn would have thought that a situation like would be awkward because of the leader's choice of words, but she grew used to them.

What she wasn't used to was the closeness that _he_ was initiating. Sure, it had been okay when she was the one being clingy and touchy. But him? The last time he initiated something was when she had a fight with Gil.

"I've come to terms with it..." Julius began which earned him a cocked eyebrow from the blonde girl, "That you'll always put others before yourself. Your selflessness is quite admirable." He praised her, Brynn felt her heart swell in her chest and her cheeks lightly burning at his words.

"Although," Julius cough awkwardly and looked away as if to hide something, "I cannot say fully agree with it." Brynn's mood dampened. As if water had been poured over her flames.

"Why is that, Captain?" She asked, being the curious girl she was, she wanted to know why.

Julius sighed which only made Brynn's anxiousness multiply, she found it confusing why she was so bothered about it. Grey eyes connected with her once again.

"Because," Julius parted his lips to speak but there was clearly some hesitation, nothing came out the first time that he opened them. "I care about you, more than I should."

Brynn blinked. She was tempted to stuff a finger into her ear and see if there had been anything blocking them. She wanted to rub eyes to see if the man was really standing in front of her. But she knew that even if she did, she had heard correctly, and that he was clearly standing right there.

"I-" She stuttered, struggling to find words to say. She wanted to hit herself for becoming a stuttering full and not being able to say anything during a time like this. Maybe she interpreted him.

He couldn't have meant 'more than a friend' right?

She gulped and decided that since she couldn't speak, she would express how she was feeling through a different way. The girl knew that the other incredibly tensed the moment that she threw her arms around his waist and buried the side of her head into his chest.

She could hear the way his heart thumped loudly and quickly against his chest, she knew that it had been the same for her. Somehow, this embrace had been different. It meant more to her. She soon felt his fingers gently comb their way through her platinum-colored locks.

Finding a little bit of courage, she breathed deeply, inhaling his lavender scent before looking at him in the eye.

"I care for you too, Julius." Her eyes closed as a smile reached her lips. "More than anything and anyone else."


End file.
